Bram Stoker - The Jewel of Seven Stars

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' Go on,' I said. ' Tell me all you know and
spare no detail' "

8 I

THE INTERNATIONAL
ADVENTURE LIBRARY

THREE OWLS EDITION

THE JEWEL OF
SEVEN STARS

BY

BRAM STOKER

Author of "Dracula," Etc.

W. R. CALDWELL & CO.
NEW YORK

m 1

Copyright, 1902, 1903, 1904, by B&AM Stoker.
Published February, 1904.

Eleanor and Constance Hoyt

Contents

IV.

v.

VI.

VII.
VIII.
IX.

XL

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII

XIX.

XX.

A Summons in the Night i

Strange Instructions 15

The Watchers 28

The Second Attempt 43

More Strange Instructions 58

Suspicions 75

The Traveller's Loss 9Z

The Finding of the Lamps 107

The Need of Knowledge 120

The Valley op the Sorcerer 136

A Queen's Tomb iS4

The Magic Coffer 169

Awaking from the Trance 1S3

The Birth-mark 2°°

The Purpose of Queen Tera 216

Powers — Old and New 331

The Cavern 239

Doubts and Fears 2S6

The Lesson of the "Ka" »73

The Great Experiment 2&&

The

Jewel of Seoen Stars

The Jewel o£ Seoen Stars

A Summons in the Night

IT all seemed so real that I could hardly imagine
that it had ever occurred before ; and yet each episode
came, not as a fresh step in the logic of things, but as
something expected. It is in such wise that memory
plays its pranks for good or ill ; for pleasure or pain ; for
weal or woe. It is thus that life is bitter-sweet, and that
which has been done becomes eternal.

Again, the light skiff, ceasing to shoot through the
lazy water as when the oars flashed and dripped, glided
out of the fierce July sunlight into the cool shade of the
great drooping willow branches — I standing up in the
swaying boat, she sitting still and with deft fingers guard-
ing herself from stray twigs or the freedom of the resili-
ence of moving boughs. Again, the water looked golden-
brown under the canopy of translucent green; and the
grass;' bank was of emerald hue. Again, we sat in the
cool shade, with the myriad noises of nature both without
and within our bower merging into that drowsy hum in
whose sufficing environment the great world with its dis-
turbing troubles, and its more disturbing joys, can be ef-
fectually forgotten. Again, in that blissful solitude the
young girl lost the convention of her prim, narrow up-

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

bringing and told me in a natural, dreamy way of the
loneliness of her new life. With an undertone of sadness
she made me feel how in that spacious home each one of
the household was isolated by the personal magnificence
of her father and herself; that there confidence had no
altar, or sympathy no shrine; and. that there even her
father's face was as distant as the old country life seemed
now. Once more, the wisdom of my manhood and the
experience of my years laid themselves at the girl's feet.
It was seemingly their own doing; for the individual "I"
had no say in the matter, but only just obeyed impera-
tive orders. And once again the flying seconds multi-
plied themselves endlessly. For it is in the arcana of
dreams that existences merge and renew themselves,
change and yet keep the same— like the soul of a mu-
sician in a fugue. And so memory swooned, again and
again, in sleep.

It seems that there is never to be any perfect rest.
Even in Eden the snake rears its head among the laden
boughs of the Tree of Knowledge. The silence of the
dreamless night is broken by the roar of the avalanche,
the hissing of sudden floods ; the clanging of the engine
bell marking its sweep through a sleeping town; the
clanking of distant paddles over the sea. . . . Whatever
it is, it is breaking the charm of my Eden. The can-
opy of greenery above us, starred with diamond-points
of light, seems to quiver in the ceaseless beat of pad-
dles; and the restless bell seems as though it would
never cease. . . .

All at once the gates of Sleep were thrown wide open,
and my waking ears took in the cause of the disturbing
sounds. Waking existence is prosaic enough — there was
somebody knocking and ringing at some one's street door.

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

I was pretty well accustomed in my Jermyn Street
chambers to the passing sounds of London; usually I
did not concern myself, sleeping or waking, with the do-
ings, however noisy, of my neighbors. But this noise
was too continuous, too insistent, too imperative to be
ignored. There was some active intelligence behind
that ceaseless sound; and some stress or need behind
the intelligence. I was not altogether selfish, and at
the thought of some one's need I was, without premedita-
tion, out of bed. Instinctively I looked at my watch.
It was just three o'clock; there was a faint edging of
grey round the green blind which darkened my room.
It was evident that the knocking and ringing were at
the door of our own house; and it was evident, too, that
there was no one awake to answer the call. I slipped
on my dressing-gown and slippers, and went down to
the hall door. "When I opened it there stood a dapper
groom, with one hand pressed unflinchingly on the
electric bell whilst with the other he raised a ceaseless
clangor with the knocker. The instant he saw me the
noise ceased; one hand went up instinctively to the
brim of his hat, and the other produced a letter from his
pocket. A neat brougham was opposite the door, the
horses were breathing heavily, as though they had come
fast. A policeman, with his night lantern still alight at
his belt, stood by attracted to the spot by the noise.

"Beg pardon, sir, I'm sorry for disturbing you, but
my orders was imperative; I was not to lose a moment,
but to knock and ring till some one came. May I ask
you, sir, if Mr. Malcolm Ross lives here?"

"I am Mr. Malcolm Ross."

"Then this letter is for you, sir, and the bro'am is for
you too, sir!"

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The Jewel of Secen Stars

1 took, with a strange curiosity, the letter which he
handed to me. As a barrister I had had, of course, odd
experiences now and then, including sudden demands
■upon my time; but never anything like this. I stepped
back into the hall, closing the door, but leaving it ajar;
then I switched on the electric light. The letter was
directed in a strange hand, a woman's. It began at
once without "dear sir" or any such address:

"You said you would like to help me if I needed it; and I
believe you meant what you said. The time has come sooner
than I expected. I am in dreadful trouble, and do not know
where to turn, or to whom to apply. An attempt has, I fear,
been made to murder my Father; though, thank God, he still
lives. But he is quite unconscious. The doctors and police
have been sent for; but there is no one here whom I can depend
on. Come at once, if you are able to; and forgive me if you can.
I suppose I shall realise later what I have done in asking such
a favor; but at present I cannot think. Come! Come at once!
"Margaret Trelawny."

Pain and exultation struggled in my mind as I read;
but the mastering thought was that she was'in trouble
and had called on me — me! My dreaming of her, then,
was not altogether without a cause. I called out to the
groom :

"Wait! I shall be with you in a minute!" Then I
flew upstairs.

A very few minutes sufficed to wash and dress; and
we were soon driving through the streets as fast as the
horses could go. It was market morning, and when we
got out on Piccadilly there was an endless stream of carts
coming from the west ; but for the rest the roadway was
clear, and we went quickly. I had told the groom to
come into the brougham with me so that he could tell
4

The Jetoel of Secen Stars

me what had happened as we went along. He sat
awkwardly, with his hat on his knees as he spoke.

"Miss Trelawny, sir, sent a man to tell us to get out a
carriage at once ; and when we was ready she come her-
self and gave me the letter and told Morgan — the
coachman, sir — to fly. She said as I was to lose not a
second, but to keep knocking till some one come."

"Yes, I know, I know — you told me! What I want
to know is, why she sent for me? What happened in
the house?"

"I don't quite know myself, sir; except that master
was found in his room senseless, with the sheets all
bloody. He couldn't be waked nohow. 'Twas Miss
Trelawny herself as found him."

"How did she come to find him at such an hour? It
was late in the night, I suppose?"

"I don't know, sir; I didn't hear nothing at all of the
details."

As he could tell me no more, I stopped the carriage
for a moment to let him get out on the box; then I
turned the matter over in my mind as I sat alone.
There were many things which I could have asked the
servant; and for a few moments after he had gone I was
angry with myself for not having used my opportunity.
On second thought, however, I was glad the temptation
was gone. I felt that it would be more delicate to learn
what I wanted to know of Miss Trelawny's surroundings
from herself rather -than from her servants.

We bowled swiftly along Knightsbridge, the small
noise of our well-appointed vehicle sounding hollowly
in the morning air. We turned up the Kensington
Palace Road, and presently stopped opposite a great
house on the left-hand side, nearer, so far as I could
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The Jewel of Seuen Stars

judge, the Notting Hill than the Kensington end of the
avenue. It was a truly fine house, not only with regard
to size but to architecture. Even in the dim grey light
of the morning, which tends to diminish the size of
things, it looked big.

Miss Trelawny met me in the hall. She was not in
any way shy. She seemed to rule all around her with a
sort of high-bred dominance, all the more remarkable
as she was greatly agitated and as pale as snow. In
the great hall were several servants, the men grouped
near the hall door, and the women clinging together in
the further corners and doorways. A police superin-
tendent had been talking to Miss Trelawny ; two men in
uniform and one plain-clothes man stood near him.
As she took my hand impulsively there was a look of
relief in her eyes, and she gave a gentle sigh of relief.
Her salutation was simple.

"I knew you would come!"

The clasp of the hand can mean a great deal, even
when it is not intended to mean anything especially.
Miss Trelawny's hand somehow became lost in my own.
It was not that it was a small hand; it was fine and
flexible, with long delicate fingers — a rare and beauti-
ful hand; it was the unconscious self -surrender. And
though at the moment I could not dwell on the cause
of the thrill which swept me, it came back to me
later.

She turned and said to the police superintendent:

"This is Mr. Malcolm Ross." The police officer
saluted as he answered:

"I know Mr. Malcolm Ross, miss. Perhaps he will
remember I had the honor of working with him in the
Brixton Coining case." I had not at first glance noticed
6

The Jetcel of Seoen Stars

who it was, my whole attention having been taken with
Miss Trelawny.

"Of course, Superintendent Dolan, I remember very
well!" I said as we shook hands. I could not but note
that the acquaintanceship seemed a relief to Miss
Trelawny. There was a certain vague uneasiness in her
manner which took my attention; instinctively I felt
that it would be less embarrassing for her to speak with
me alone. So I said to the Superintendent:

"Perhaps it will be better if Miss Trelawny will see
me alone for a few minutes. You, of course, have al-
ready heard all she knows ; and I will understand better
how things are if I may ask some questions. I will then
talk the matter over with you if I may."

"I shall be glad to be of what service I can, sir," he
answered heartily.

Following Miss Trelawny, I moved over to a dainty
room which opened from the hall and looked out on the
garden at the back of the house. When we had entered
and I had closed the door she said:

"I will thank you later for your goodness in coming
to me in my trouble; but at present you can best help
me when you know the facts. "

"Go on," I said. "Tell me all you know and spare
no detail, however trivial it may at the present time
seem to be." She went on at once:

"I was awakened by some sound; I do not know what.
I only know that it came through my sleep; for all .at
once I found myself awake, with my heart beating
wildly, listening anxiously for some sound from my
Father's room. My room is next Father's, and I can
often hear him moving about before I fall asleep. He
works late at night, sometimes very late indeed; so
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The Jetoel o£ Seoeti Stars

that when I wake early, as I do occasionally, or in the
grey of the dawn, I hear him still moving. I tried once
to remonstrate with him about staying up so late, as it
cannot be good for him ; but I never ventured to repeat
the experiment. You know how stern and cold he can
be — at least you may remember what I told you about
him; and when he is polite in this mood he is dreadful.
When he is angry I can bear it much better ; but when
he is slow and deliberate, and the side of his mouth lifts
up to show the sharp teeth, I think I feel — well, I don't
know how! Last night I got up softly and stole to the
door, for I really feared to disturb him. There was not
any noise of moving, and no kind of cry at all; but there
was a queer kind of dragging sound, and a slow, heavy
breathing. Oh! it was dreadful, waiting there in the
dark and the silence, and fearing— fearing I did not
know what!

"At last I took my courage a deux mains, and turning
the handle of the door as softly as I could, I opened the
door a tiny bit. It was quite dark within; I could just
see the outline of the windows. But in the darkness
the sound of breathing, becoming more distinct, was
appalling. As I listened, this continued; but there was
no other sound. I pushed the door open all at once.
I was afraid to open it slowly; I felt as if there might
be some dreadful thing behind it ready to pounce out
on me ! Then I switched on the electric light, and stepped
into the room. I looked first at the bed. The sheets
were all crumbled up, so that I knew Father had been in
bed; but there was a great dark red patch in the centre
of the bed, and spreading to the edge of it, that made
my heart stand still. As I was gazing at it the sound of
the breathing came across the room, and my eyes followed

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

to it. There was Father on his right side with the other
arm under him, just as if his dead body had been thrown
there all in a heap. The track of blood went across the
room up to the bed, and there was a pool all around
him which looked terribly red and glittering as I bent
over to examine him. The place where he lay was
right in front of the big safe. He was in his pyjamas.
The left sleeve was torn, showing his bare arm, and
stretched out toward the safe. It looked — oh! so ter-
rible, patched all with blood, and with the flesh torn
or cut all around a gold chain bangle on his wrist. I
did not know he wore such a thing, and it seemed to
give me a new shock of surprise."

She paused a moment ; and as I wished to relieve her
by a moment's divergence of thought, I said:

"Oh, that need not surprise you. You will see the
most unlikely men wearing bangles. I have seen a
judge condemn a man to death, and the wrist of the
hand he held up had a gold bangle." She did not seem
to heed much the words or the idea; the pause, however,
relieved her somewhat, and she went on in a steadier
voice:

"I did not lose a moment in summoning aid, for I
feared he might bleed to death. I rang the bell, and
then went out and called for help as loudly as I could.
In what must have been a very short time — though it
seemed an incredibly long one to me — some of the ser-
vants came running up, and then others, till the room
seemed full of staring eyes and dishevelled hair, and
night clothes of all sorts.

"We lifted Father on a sofa; and the housekeeper,

Mrs. Grant, who seemed to have her wits about her

more than any of us, began to look where the flow of

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The Jewel of Seoen Stars

blood came from. In a few seconds it became apparent
that it came from the arm which was bare. There was
a deep wound— not clean-cut as with a knife, but like a
jagged rent or tear — close to the wrist, which seemed
to have cut into the vein. Mrs. Grant tied a handker-
chief round the cut, and screwed it up tight with a silver
paper-cutter; and the flow of blood seemed to be checked
at once. By this time I had come to my senses — or
such of them as remained; and I sent off one man for
the doctor and another for the police. When they had
gone, I felt that, except for the servants, I was all alone
in the house, and that I knew nothing— of my Father or
anything else ; and a great longing came to me to have
some one with me who could help me. Then I thought
of you and your kind offer in the boat under the willow-
tree; and, without waiting to think, I told the men to
get a carriage ready at once, and I scribbled a note and
sent it on to you."

She paused. I did not like to say just then anything
of how I felt. I looked at her; I think she understood,
for her -eyes were raised to mine for a moment and then
fell, leaving her cheeks as red as peony roses. With a
manifest effort she went on with her story:

' ' The Doctor was with us in an incredibly short time.
The groom had met him letting himself into his house
with his latchkey, and he came to the house running.
He made a proper tourniquet for poor Father's arm, and
then went home to get some appliances. I dare say he
will be back here almost immediately. Then a police-
man came, and he sent a message to the station; and
very soon the Superintendent was here. Then you came."

There was a long pause, and I ventured to take her
hand for an instant. Without a word more we opened

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

the door, and joined the Superintendent in the hall. He
hurried up to us, saying as he came:

"I have been examining everything myself, and have
sent off a message to Scotland Yard. You see, Mr.
Ross, there seemed so much that was odd about the
case that I thought we had better have the best man
of the Criminal Investigation Department that we could
get. So I sent a note asking to have Sergeant Daw sent
at once. You remember him, sir, in that American
Poisoning case at Hoxton."

"Oh yes," I said, "I remember him well; in that and
other cases, for I have benefited several times by his
skill and acumen. He has a mind that works as truly
as any that I know. When I have been for the defence,
and believed my man was innocent,' I was glad to have
him against us!"

"That is high praise, sir!" said the Superintendent
gratified: "I am glad you approve of my choice; that
I did well in sending for him."

I answered heartily:

"Could not be better. I do not doubt that between
you we shall get at the facts— and what lies behind
them!"

We ascended to Mr. Trelawny's room, where we found
everything exactly as his daughter had described.

There came a ring at the house bell, and a minute
later a man was shown into the room. A young man
with aquiline features, keen grey eyes, and a forehead
that stood out square and broad as that of a thinker.
In his hand he had a black bag which he at once opened.
Miss Trelawny introduced us: "Doctor Winchester, Mr.
Ross, Superintendent Dolan." We bowed mutually,
and he, without a moment's delay, began his work. We

The Jeroel of Seoen Stars

all waited, and eagerly watched him as he proceeded to
dress the wound. As he went on he turned now and
again to call the Superintendent's attention to some
point about the wound, the latter proceeding to enter
the fact at once in his note-book.

"See! several parallel cuts or scratches beginning on
the left side of the wrist, and in some places endanger-
ing the Radial artery.

"These small wounds here, deep and jagged, seem as
if made with a blunt instrument. This in particular
would seem as if made with some kind of sharp wedge;
the flesh round it seems torn as if with lateral pressure."

Turning to Miss Trelawny he said presently:

"Do you think we might remove this bangle? It is
not absolutely necessary, as it will fall lower on the wrist
where it can hang loosely; but it might add to the pa-
tient's comfort later on." The poor girl flushed deeply
as she answered in a low voice:

" I do not know. I — I have only recently come to live
with my Father; and I know so little of his life or his
ideas that I fear I can hardly judge in such, a matter."
The Doctor, after a keen glance at her, said in a very
kindly way;

" Forgive me! I did not know. But in any case you
need not be distressed. It is not required at present to
move it. Were it so I should do so at once on my own
responsibility. If it be necessary later on, we can easily
remove it with a file. Your Father doubtless has some
object in keeping it as it is. See! there is a tiny key
attached to it. . . ." As he was speaking he stopped
and bent lower, taking from my hand the candle which
I held and lowering it till its light fell on the bangle.
Then motioning me to hold the candle in the same

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

position, he took from his pocket a magnifying - glass
which he adjusted. When he had made a careful exam-
ination he stood up and handed the magnifying-glass to
Dolan, saying as he did so:

"You had better examine it yourself. That is no
ordinary bangle. The gold is wrought over triple steel
links; see where it is worn away. It is manifestly not
meant to be removed lightly; and it would need more
than an ordinary file to do it. "

The Superintendent bent his great body ; but not get-
ting close enough that way knelt down by the sofa as
the Doctor had done. He examined the bangle minutely,
turning it slowly round so that no particle of it escaped
observation. Then he stood up and handed the magni-
fying-glass to me. "When you have examined it your-
self," he said, "let the lady look at it if she will," and
he commenced to write at length in his note-book.

I made a simple alteration in his suggestion. I held
out the glass toward Miss Trelawny saying:

"Had you not better examine it first?" She drew
back, raising slightly her hand in disclaimer, as she said
impulsively :

"Oh no! Father would doubtless have shown it to
me had he wished me to see it. I would not like to ■
without his consent." Then she added, doubtless fear-
ing lest her delicacy of view should give offence to the
rest of us :

"Of course it is right that you should see it. You
have to examine and consider everything; and indeed
— indeed I am grateful to you. . . ."

She turned away; I could see that she was crying
quietly. It was evident to me that even in the midst
of her trouble and anxiety there was a chagrin that she
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knew so little of her Father; and that her ignorance
had to be shown at such a time and amongst so many
strangers. That they were all men did not make the
shame more easy to bear, though there was a certain
relief in it. Trying to interpret her feelings I could not
but think that she must have been glad that no woman's
eyes — of understanding greater than man 's — were upon
her in that hour.

When I stood up from my examination, which verified
to me that of the Doctor, the latter resumed his place
beside the couch and went on with his ministrations.
Superintendent Dolan said to me in a whisper:

" I think we are fortunate in our Doctor!" I nodded,
and was about to add something in praise of his acumen,
when there came a low tapping at the door.

Strange Instructions

SUPERINTENDENT DOLAN went quietly to the
door; by a sort of natural understanding he had
taken possession of affairs in the room. The rest of us
waited. He opened the door a little way ; and then with
a gesture of manifest relief threw it wide, and a man
stepped in. A young man clean-shaven, tall and slight ;
with an eagle face and bright, quick eyes that seemed
to take in everything around him at a glance. As he
came in, the Superintendent held out his hand; the two
men shook hands warmly.

" I came at once, sir, the moment I got your message.
I am glad I still have your confidence."

"That you'll always have," said the Superintendent,
heartily. "I have not forgotten our old Bow Street
days, and I never shall!" Then, without a word of pre-
liminary, he began to tell everything he knew up to the
moment of the newcomer's entry. Sergeant Daw asked
a few questions — a very few — when it was necessary
for his understanding of circumstances or the relative
positions of persons.; but as a rule Dolan, who knew his
work thoroughly, forestalled every query, and explained
all necessary matters as he went on. Sergeant Daw
threw occasionally swift glances round him; now at one
of us; now at the room or some part of it; now at the
wounded man lying senseless on the sofa.
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The Jewel of* Seoen Stars

When the Superintendent had finished, the Sergeant
turned to me and said:

"Perhaps you remember me, sir. I was with you in
the Hoxton case."

" I remember you very well," I said as I held out my
hand. The Superintendent spoke again :

"You understand, Sergeant Daw, that you are put in
full charge of this case."

"Under you I hope, sir," he interrupted. The other
shook his head and smiled as he said:

"It seems to me that this is a case that will take all
a man's time and his brains. I have other work to do;
but I shall be more than interested, and if I can help in
any possible way I shall bs glad to do so!"

"All right, sir," said the other, accepting his respon-
sibility with a sort of modified salute ; straightway he
began his investigation.

First he came over to the Doctor and, having learned
his name and address, asked him to write a full report
which he could use, and which he could refer to head-
quarters if necessary. Doctor Winchester bowed gravely
as he promised. Then the Sergeant approached me and
said sotto voce:

"I like the looks of your Doctor. I think we can work
together!" Turning to Miss Trelawny he asked:

"Please let me know what you can of your Father.
His ways of life, his history — in fact of anything of
whatsoever kind which interests him, or in which he
may be concerned." I was about to interrupt to tell
him what she had already said of her ignorance in
all matters of her Father and his ways, but her warn-
ing hand was raised to me pointedly and she spoke
herself.

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The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

"Alas! I know little or nothing. Superintendent
Dolan and Mr. Ross know already all I can say."

"Well, ma'am, we must be content to do what we
can," said the officer genially. "I'll begin by making
a minute examination. You say that you were outside
the door when you heard the noise?"

"I was in my room when I heard the queer sound —
indeed it must have been the early part of whatever it
was which woke me. I came out of my room at once.
Father's door was shut, and I could see the whole land-
ing and the upper slopes of the staircase. No one could
have left by the door unknown to me, if that is what
you mean!"

"That is just what I do mean, miss. If every one
who knows anything will tell me as well as that, we
shall soon get to the bottom of this. Then I may take
it that whoever made the attack is still in the room?"
He said this half interrogatively, but no one answered.
He knew as much as we did on that point.

He then went over to the bed, looked at it carefully,
and asked:

"Has the bed been touched?"

"Not to my knowledge," said Miss Trelawny, "but
I shall ask Mrs. Grant — the housekeeper," she added as
she rang the bell. Mrs. Grant answered it in person.
"Come in," said Miss Trelawny. "These gentlemen
want to know, Mrs. Grant, if the bed has been touched."

"Not by me, ma'am."

"Then," said Miss Trelawny, turning to Sergeant Daw,
"it cannot have been touched by any one. Either Mrs.
Grant or I myself was here all the time, and I do not
think any of the servants who came when I gave the
alarm were near the bed at all. You see, Father lay
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The Jetcel of Seoen Stars

here just under the great safe, and every one crowded
round him. We sent them all away in a very short time."
Daw, with a motion of his hand, asked us all to stay at
the other side of the room whilst with a magnifying-glass
he examined the bed, taking care as he moved each fold
of the bedclothes to replace it in exact position. Then
he examined with his magnifying-glass the floor beside
it, taking especial pains where the blood had trickled
over the side of the bed, which was of heavy red-wood
handsomely carved. Inch by inch, down on his knees,
carefully avoiding any touch with the stains on the
floor, he followed the blood-marks over to the spot, close
under the great safe, where the body had lain. All around
and about this spot he went fcr a radius of some yards;
but seemingly did not meet with anything to arrest
special attention. Then he examined the front of the
safe; round the lock, and along the bottom and top of
the double doors, more especially at the places of their
touching in front.

Next he went to the windows, which were fastened
down with the hasps.

"Were the shutters closed?" he asked Miss Trelawny
in a casual way as though he expected the negative
answer, which came.

All this time Doctor Winchester was attending to his
patient ; now dressing the wounds in the wrist or mak-
ing minute examination all over the head and throat,
and over the heart. More than once he put his nose
to the mouth of the senseless man and sniffed. Each
time he did so he finished up by unconsciously looking
round the room, as though in search of something.

Then we heard the deep strong voice of the Detective :

"So far as I can see, the object was to bring that key

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

to the lock of the safe. There seems to be some secret
in the mechanism that I am unable to guess at, though
I served a year in Chubb 's before I joined the police.
It is a combination lock of seven letters ; but there seems
to be a way of locking even the combination. It is one
of Chatwood's; I shall call at their place and find out
something about it." Then turning to the Doctor, as
though his own work were for the present done, he
said:

"Have you anything you can tell me at once, Doctor,
which will not interfere with your full report ? If there
is any doubt I can wait, but the sooner I know some-
thing definite the better."

Doctor Winchester answered at once:

"For my own part I see no reason in waiting. I shall
make a full report of course. But in the meantime I
shall tell you all I know — which is after all not very
much, and all I think — which is less definite. There is
no wound on the head which could account for the state
of stupor in which the patient continues. I must, there-
fore, take it that either he has been drugged or is under
some hypnotic influence. So far as I can judge, he has
not been drugged — at least by means of any drug of
whose qualities I am aware. Of course, there is ordi-
narily in this room so much of mummy smell that it is
difficult to be certain about anything having a delicate
aroma. I dare say that you have noticed the peculiar
Egyptian scents, bitumen, nard, aromatic gums and
spices, and so forth. It is quite possible that somewhere
in this room, amongst the curios and hidden by stronger
scents, is some substance or liquid which may have the
effect we see. It is possible that the patient has taken
some drug, and that he may in some sleeping phase have
19

The Jetuel o£ Seoen Stars

injured himself. I do not think this is likely; and cir-
cumstances, other than those which I have myself been
investigating, may prove that this surmise is not correct,
But in the meantime it is possible; and must, therefore,
till it be disproved, be kept within our purview." Here
Sergeant Daw interrupted:

"That may be; but if so, we should be able to find
the instrument with which the wrist was injured. There
would be marks of blood somewhere."

"Exactly so!" said the Doctor, fixing his glasses as
though preparing for an argument. "But if it be that
the patient has used some strange drug, it may be one
that does not take effect at once. As we are as yet
ignorant of its potentialities — if, indeed, the whole sur-
mise is correct at all — we must be prepared at all points."

Here Miss Trelawny joined in the conversation:

"That would be quite right, so far as the action of
the drug was concerned; but according to the second,
part of your surmise the wound may have been self-
inflicted, and this after the drug had taken effect."

"True!" said the Detective and the Doctor simulta-
neously. She went on.

"As however, Doctor, your guess does not exhaust
the possibilities, we must bear in mind that some other
variant of the same root-idea may be correct. I take it,
therefore, that our first search, to be made on this as-
sumption, must be for the weapon with which the injury
was done to my Father's wrist."

"Perhaps he put the weapon in the safe before he
became quite unconscious," said I, giving voice foolishly
to a half-formed thought.

"That could not be," said the Doctor quickly. "At
least I think it could hardly be," he added cautiously,

The Jewel of Sepeti Stars

with a brief bow to me. "You see, the left hand is
covered with blood; but there is ho blood mark what-
ever on the safe."

"Quite right!" I said, and there was a long pause.

The first to break the silence was the Doctor.

"We shall want a nurse here as soon as possible; and
I know the very one to suit. I shall go at once to get
her if I can. I must ask that till I return some of you
will remain constantly with the patient. It may be
necessary to remove him to another room later on ; but
in the meantime he is best left here. Miss Trelawny,
may I take it that either you or Mrs. Grant will remain
here — not merely in the room, but close to the patient
and watchful of him — till I return?"

She bowed in reply, and took a seat beside the sofa.
The Doctor gave her some directions as to what she
should do in case her Father should become conscious
before his return.

The nest to move was Superintendent Dolan, who
came close to Sergeant Daw as he said:

"I had better return now to the station — unless, of
course, you should wish me to remain for a while."

He answered, "Is Johnny Wright still in your divis-
ion?"

"Yes! Would you like him to be with you?" The
other nodded reply. "Then I will send him on to you
as soon as can be arranged. He shall then stay with
you as long as you wish. I will tell him that he is to
take his instructions entirely from you."

The Sergeant accompanied him to the door, saying as
he went:

"Thank you, sir; you are always thoughtful for men
who are working with you. It is a pleasure to me to

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

be with you again. I shall go back to Scotland Yard
and report to my chief. Then I shall call at Chatwood's ;
and I shall return here as soon as possible. I suppose
I may take it, miss, that I may put up here for a day
or two, if required. It may be some help, or possibly
some comfort to you, if I am about, until we unravel
this mystery."

" I shall be very grateful to you." He looked keenly
at her for a few seconds before he spoke again.

" Before I go have I permission to look about your
Father's table and desk? There might be something
which would give us a clue — or a lead at all events."
Her answer was so unequivocal as almost to surprise
him.

"You have the fullest possible permission to do any-
thing which may help us in this dreadful trouble — to
discover what it is that is wrong with my Father, or
which may shield him in the future!"

He began at once a systematic search of the dressing-
table, and after that of the writing-table in the room.
In one of the drawers he found a letter sealed; this he
brought at once across the room and handed to Miss
Trelawny.

"A letter — directed tome — and in my Father's hand!"
she said as she eagerly opened it. I watched her face
as she began to read; but seeing at once that Sergeant
Daw kept his keen eyes on her face, unflinchingly watch-
ing every flitting expression, I kept my eyes henceforth
fixed on his. When Miss Trelawny had read her letter
through, I had in my mind a conviction, which, however,
I kept locked in my own heart: Amongst the suspicions
in the mind of the Detective was one, rather perhaps
potential than definite, of Miss Trelawny herself.

The Jewel of Secen Stars

For several minutes Miss Trelawny held the letter in
her hand with her eyes downcast, thinking. Then she
read it carefully again ; this time the varying expressions
were intensified, and I thought I could easily follow
them. When she had finished the second reading, she
paused again. Then, though with some reluctance, she
handed the letter to the Detective. He read it eagerly
but with unchanging face; read it a second time, and
then handed it back with a bow. She paused a little
again, and then handed it to me. As she did so she
raised her eyes to mine for a single moment appealingly ;
a swift blush spread over her pale cheeks and forehead.

With mingled feelings I took it, but, all said, I was
glad. She did not show any perturbation in giving the
letter to the Detective — she might not have shown any
to any one else. But to me ... I feared to follow
the thought further; but read on, conscious that the
eyes of both Miss Trelawny and the Detective were fixed
on me.

" My dear Daughter, — I want you to take this letter as an
instruction — absolute and imperative, and admitting of no
deviation whatever — in case anything untoward or unexpected
by you or by others should happen to me. If I should be
suddenly and mysteriously stricken down — either by sickness,
accident, or attack — you must follow these directions implicitly.
If I am not already in my bedroom when you are made cognisant
of my state, I am to be brought there as quickly as possible.
Even should I be dead, my body is to be brought there. Thence-
forth, until I am either conscious and able to give instructions
on my own account, or buried, I am never to be left alone —
not for a single instant. From nightfall to sunrise at least two
persons must remain in the room. It will be well that a trained
nurse be in the room from time to time, and will note any
symptoms, either permanent or changing, which may strike
her. My solicitors, Marvin and jewkes, of 27s Lincoln's Inn,
23

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

have full instructions in case of my death; and Mr. Marvin has
himself undertaken to see personally my wishes carried out. I
should advise you, my dear Daughter, seeing that you have no
relative to apply to, to get some friend whom you can trust to
either remain within the house where instant communication
can be made, or to come nightly to aid in the watching, or to be
within call. Such friend may be either male or female; but,
whichever it may be, there should be added one other watcher
or attendant at hand of the opposite sex. Understand, that it
is of the very essence of my wish that there should be, awake
and exercising themselves to my purposes, both masculine and
feminine intelligences. Once more, my dear Margaret, let me
impress on you the need for observation and just reasoning to
conclusions, howsoever strange. If I am taken ill or injured,
this will be no ordinary occasion ; and I wish to warn you, so that
your guarding may be complete.

"Nothing in my room — I speak of the curios— must be re-
moved or displaced in any way, or for any cause whatever.
I have a special reason and a special purpose in the placing of
each; so that any moving of them would thwart my plans.

"Should you want money or counsel in anything, Mr. Marvin
will carry out your wishes; to the which he has my full in-
structions. Abel Trelawny."

I read the letter a second time before speaking, for I
feared to betray myself. The choice of a friend might
be a momentous occasion for me. I had already ground
for hope, in that she had asked me to help her in the
first throe of her trouble ; but love makes its own doubt-
ings, and I feared. My thoughts seemed to whirl with
lightning rapidity, and in a few seconds a whole process
of reasoning became formulated. I must not volunteer
to be the friend that the father advised his daughter
to have to aid in her vigil; and yet that one glance
had a lesson which I must not ignore. Also, did not
she, when she wanted help, send to me — to me a stranger,
except for one meeting at a dance and one brief after-

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

noon of companionship on the river? Would it not
humiliate her to make her ask me twice? Humiliate
her! No! that pain I could at all events save her; it is
not humiliation to refuse. So, as I handed her back the
letter, I said:

"I know you will forgive me, Miss Trelawny, if I
presume too much ; but if you will permit me to aid in
the watching I shall be proud. Though the occasion is
a sad one, I shall be so far happy to be allowed the
privilege."

Despite her manifest and painful effort at self-control,
the red tide swept her face and neck. Even her eyes
seemed suffused, and in stern contrast with her pale
cheeks when the tide had rolled back. She answered
in a low voice :

"I shall be very grateful for your help!" Then in
an afterthought she added:

"But you must not let me be selfish in my need! I
know you have many duties to engage you ; and though
I shall value your help highly — most highly — it would
not be fair to monopolise your time."

"As to that," I answered at once, "my time is yours.
I can for to-day easily arrange , my work so that I can
come here in the afternoon; and stay till morning. After
that, if the occasion still demands it, I can so manage
that I shall have more time still at disposal." She was
much moved. I could see the tears gather in her eyes,
and she turned away her head. The Detective spoke:

"I am glad you will be here, Mr. Ross. I shall be in
the house myself, as Miss Trelawny will allow me, if my
people in Scotland Yard will permit. That letter seems
to put a different complexion on everything ; though the
mystery remains greater than ever. If you can wait

3 25

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

here an hour or two I shall go to headquarters, and then
to the safe makers. After that I shall return ; and you
can go away easier in your mind, for I shall be here."

When he had gone, we two, Miss Trelawny and I,
remained in silence. At last she raised her eyes and
looked at me for a moment ; after that I would not have
exchanged places with a king. For a while she busied
herself round the extemporised bedside of her father.
Then, asking me to be sure not to take my eyes off him
till she returned, she hurried out.

In a few minutes she came back with Mrs. Grant and
two maids and a couple of men, who bore the entire
frame and furniture of a light iron bed. This they pro-
ceeded to put together and to make. When the work
was completed, and the servants had withdrawn, she
said to me:

" It will be well to be all ready when the Doctor re-
turns. He will surely want to have Father put to bed;
and a proper bed will be better for him than the sofa."
She then got a chair close beside her Father, and sat
down watching him.

I went about the room, taking accurate note of all I
saw. And truly there were enough things in the room
to evoke the curiosity of any man — even though the
attendant circumstances were less strange. The whole
place, excepting those articles of furniture necessary to
a well-furnished bedroom, was filled with magnificent
curios, chiefly Egyptian. As the room was of immense
size there was opportunity for the placing of a large
number of them, even if, as with these, they were of huge
proportions.

Whilst I was still investigating the room there came
the sound of wheels on the gravel outside the house.
26

The Jctoel of Seuen Stars

There was a ring at the hall door, and a few minutes
later, after a preliminary tap at the door and an answer-
ing 'Come in!' Doctor Winchester entered, followed by
a young woman in the dark dress of a nurse.

"I have been fortunate!" he said as he came in. "I
found her at once and free. Miss Trelawny, this is
Nurse Kennedy!"

The Watchers

J WAS struck by the way tlie two young women looked
at each other. I suppose I have been so much in
the habit of weighing up in my own mind the personality
of witnesses and of forming judgment by their uncon-
scious action and mode of bearing themselves, that the
habit extends to my life outside as well as within the
court-house. At this moment of my life anything that
interested Miss Trelawny interested me; and as she had
been struck by the newcomer I instinctively weighed
her up also. By comparison of the two I seemed some-
how to gain a new knowledge of Miss Trelawny. Cer-
tainly, the two women made a good contrast. Miss
Trelawny was of fine figure; dark, straight - featured.
She had marvellous eyes ; great, wide-open, and as black
and soft as velvet, with a mysterious depth. To look
in them was like gazing at a black mirror such as Doctor
Dee used in his wizard rites. I heard an old gentle-
man at the picnic, a great oriental traveller, describe
the effect of her eyes "as looking at night at the great
distant lamps of a mosque through the open door."
The eyebrows were typical. Finely arched, and rich in
long curling hair, they seemed like the proper archi-
tectural environment of the deep, splendid eyes. Her
hair was black also, but was as fine as silk. Generally
black hair is a type of animal strength and seems as if

The jetoel of Seoen Stars

some strong expression of the forces of a strong nature;
but in this case there could be no such thought. There
were refinement and high breeding ; and though there
was no suggestion of weakness, any sense of power there
was, was rather spiritual than animal. The whole har-
mony of her being seemed complete. Carriage, figure,
hair, eyes ; the mobile, full mouth, whose scarlet lips and
white teeth seemed to light up the lower part of the
face — as the eyes did the upper ; the wide sweep of the
jaw from chin to ear; the long, fine fingers; the hand
which seemed to move from the wrist as though it had
a sentience of its own. All these perfections went to
make up a personality that dominated either by its
grace, its sweetness, its beauty, or its charm.

Nurse Kennedy, on the other hand, was rather under
than over a woman's average height. She was firm
and thickset, with full limbs and broad, strong, capable
hands. Her color was in the general effect that of an
autumn leaf. The yellow-brown hair was thick and
long, and the golden-brown eyes sparkled from the
freckled, sunburnt skin. Her rosy cheeks gave a gen-
eral idea of rich brown. The red lips and white teeth
did not alter the color scheme, but only emphasised it.
She had a snub nose — there was no possible doubt about
it; but like such noses in general it showed a nature
generous, untiring, and full of good nature. Her broad
white forehead, which even the freckles had spared, was
full of forceful thought and reason.

Doctor Winchester had on their journey from the
hospital, coached her in the necessary particulars, and
without a word she took charge of the patient and set
to work. Having examined the new - made bed and
shaken the pillows, she spoke to the Doctor, who gave
29

The jewel o£ Seuen Stars

instructions; presently we all four, stepping together,
lifted the unconscious man from the sofa.

Early in the afternoon, when Sergeant Daw had re-
turned, I called at my rooms in Jermyn Street and sent
out such clothes, books and papers as I should be likely
to want within a few days. Then I went on to keep
my legal engagements.

The Court sat late that day as an important case was
ending; it was striking six as I drove in at the gate
of the Kensington Palace Road. I found myself in-
stalled in a large room close to the sick chamber.

That night we were not yet regularly organised for
watching, so that the early part of the evening showed
an unevenly balanced guard. Nurse Kennedy, who
had been on duty all day, was lying down, as she had
arranged to come on again by twelve o'clock. Doctor
Winchester, who was dining in the house, remained in
the room until dinner was announced ; and went back
at once when it was over. During dinner Mrs. Grant
remained in the room, and with her Sergeant Daw, who
wished to complete a minute examination which he had
undertaken of everything in the room and near it. At
nine o'clock Miss Trelawny and I went in to relieve the
Doctor. She had lain down for a few hours in the after-
noon so as to be refreshed for her work at night. She
told me that she had determined that for this night at
least she would sit up and watch. I did not try to
dissuade her, for I knew that her mind was made up.
Then and there, however, I determined that I would
watch with her — unless, of course, I should see that
she really did not wish it. I said nothing of my in-
tentions for the present. We came in on tiptoe, so
silently that the Doctor, who was bending over the bed,
3°

The Jeroel of Seoen Stars

did not hear us ; he seemed a little startled when sud-
denly looking up he saw our eyes upon him. I felt that
the mystery of the whole thing was getting on his nerves,
as it had already got on the nerves of some others of us.
He was, I fancied, a little annoyed with himself for
having been so startled. He began at once to talk in a
hurried manner, as though to get over our idea of his
embarrassment :

"I am really and absolutely at my wits'-end to find
any fit cause for this stupor. I have made again as
accurate an examination as I know how; and I am
satisfied that there is no injury to the brain, that is,
no external injury. Indeed, all the vital organs seem
unimpaired. I have, as you know, given the patient
food several times, and it has manifestly done him
good. His breathing is strong and regular, and his pulse
is slower and stronger than it was this morning. I can-
not find evidence of any known drug, and his uncon-
sciousness does not resemble any of the many cases of
hypnotic sleep which I saw in the Charcot Hospital in
Paris. And as to these wounds" — he laid his finger
gently on the bandaged wrist which lay outside the
coverlet as he spoke, "I do not know what to make
of them. They might have been made by a carding-
machine; but that supposition is untenable. It is with-
in the bounds of possibility that they might have been
made by a wild animal if it had taken care to sharpen its
claws. ■ That, too, is, I take it, impossible. By the way,
have you any strange pets here in the house; anything
of an exceptional kind, such as a tiger-cat or anything
out of the common?" Miss Trelawny smiled a sad
smile which made my heart ache, as she made answer:

"Oh no! Father does not like animals about the
3i

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

house, unless they are dead and mummied." This was
said with a touch of bitterness — or jealousy, I could
hardly tell which. "Even my poor kitten was only
allowed to remain on sufferance; and though he is the
dearest and best-conducted cat in the world, he is now
on a sort of parole, and is not allowed into this room."

As she was speaking a faint rattling of the door
handle was heard. Instantly Miss Trelawny's face
brightened. She sprang up and went over to the door:
saying as she went:

"There he is! That is my Silvio. He stands on his
hind legs and rattles the door handle when he wants to
come into a room." She opened the door, speaking to
the cat as though he were a baby: "Did him want his
mower? Come then; but he must stay with her!"
She lifted the cat, and came back with him in her arms.
He was certainly a magnificent animal. A chinchilla
grey Persian with long silky hair; a really lordly animal,
with a haughty bearing despite his gentleness; and with
great paws which spread out as he placed them on the
ground. Whilst she was fondling him , he suddenly gave
a wriggle like an eel and slipped out of her arms. He
ran across the room and stood opposite a low table on
which stood the mummy of an animal, and began to
mew and snarl. Miss Trelawny was after him in an in-
stant and lifted him in her arms, kicking and struggling
and wriggling to get away; he did not bite or scratch,
however, for evidently he loved his beautiful mistress.
He ceased to make a noise the moment he was in her
arms; in a whisper she admonished him:

" O you naughty Silvio ! You have broken your
parole that mother gave for you. Now, say good-
night to the gentlemen, and come away to mother's
32

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

room!" As she was speaking she held out the cat's paw
to me to shake. As I did so I could not but admire its
size and beauty. "Why," said I, "his paw seems like
a little boxing-glove full of claws." She smiled:

"So it ought to. Don't you notice that my Silvio
has seven toes? See!" she opened the paw, and surely
enough there were seven separate claws, each of them
sheathed in a delicate, fine, shell-like case. As I gently
stroked the foot the claws emerged and one of them
accidentally — there was no anger now and the cat was
purring — stuck into my hand. Instinctively I said as I
drew back:

"Why, his claws are like razors!"

Doctor Winchester had come close to us and was
bending over looking at the cat's claws; as I spoke he
said in a quick, sharp way:

"Eh!" I could hear the quick intake of his breath.
Whilst I was stroking the now quiescent cat, the Doctor
went to the table and tore off a piece of blotting-paper
from the writing-pad and came back. He laid the
paper on his palm and, with a simple "pardon me!" to
Miss Trelawny, placed the cat's paw on it and pressed it
down with his other hand. The haughty cat seemed to
resent somewhat the familiarity, and tried to draw its
foot away. This was plainly what the Doctor wanted,
for in the act the cat opened the sheaths of its claws
and made several reefs in the soft paper. Then Miss
Trelawny took her pet away. She returned in a couple
of minutes; as she came in she said:

"It is most odd about that mummy! When Silvio

came into the room first— indeed I took him in as a

kitten to show to Father — he went on just the same

way. He jumped up on the table, and tried to scratch

33

The Jewel o£ Seoen Stars

and bite the mummy. That was what made Father so
angry and brought the decree of banishment on poor
Silvio."

Whilst she had been gone. Doctor Winchester had
taken the bandage from her Father's wrist. The wound
was now quite clear, as the separate cuts showed out in
fierce red lines. The Doctor folded the blotting-paper
across the line of punctures made by the cat's claws, and
held it down close to the wound. As he did so, he looked
up triumphantly, and beckoned us over to him.

The cuts in the paper corresponded with the wounds
in the wrist! No explanation was needed, as he
said:

"It would have been better if master Silvio had not
broken his parole!"

We were all silent for a little while. Suddenly Miss
Trelawny said:

"But Silvio was not in here last night!"

"Are you sure? Could you prove that if necessary?"
She hesitated before replying:

"I am certain of it; but I fear it would be difficult to
prove. Silvio sleeps in a basket in my room. I cer-
tainly put him to bed last night ; I remember distinctly
laying his little blanket over him, and tucking him in.
This morning I took him out of the basket myself. I
certainly never noticed him in here; though, of course,
that would not mean much, for I was too concerned
about poor Father, and too much occupied with him, to
notice even Silvio."

The Doctor shook his head as he said with a certain
sadness:

"Well, at any rate it is no use trying to prove any-
thing now. Any cat in the world would have cleaned
34

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

blood-marks — did any exist — from his paws in a hun-
dredth part of the time that has elapsed."

Again we were all silent; and again the silence was
broken by Miss Trelawny:

"But now that I think of it, it could not have been
poor Silvio that injured Father. My door was shut
when I first heard the sound; and Father's was shut
when I listened at it. "When I went in, the injury
had been done; so that it must have been before Silvio
could possibly have got in." This reasoning com-
mended itself, especially to me as a barrister, for it was
proof to satisfy a jury. It gave me a distinct pleasure
to have Silvio acquitted of the crime — possibly because
he was Miss Trelawny's cat and was loved by her.
Happy cat! Silvio's mistress was manifestly pleased as
I said:

"Verdict, 'not guilty!'" Doctor Winchester after a
pause observed:

"My apologies to master Silvio on this occasion; but
I am still puzzled to know why he is so keen against that
mummy. Is he the same toward the other mummies
in the house? There are, I suppose, a lot of them. I
saw three in the hall as I came in."

"There are lots of them," she answered. "I some-
times don't know whether I am in a private house or
the British Museum. But Silvio never concerns himself
about any of them except that particular one. I sup-
pose it must be. because it is of an animal, not a man or
a woman."

" Perhaps it is of a cat!" said the Doctor as he started

up and went across the room to look at the mummy

more closely. "Yes," he went on, "it is the mummy

of a cat; and a very fine one, too. If it hadn't been a

35

The Jewel off Seoen Stars

special favorite of some very special person it would
never have received so much honor. See! A painted
case and obsidian eyes— just like a human mummy.
It is an extraordinary thing, the knowledge that kind
has of kind. Here is a dead cat— that is all; it is per-
haps four or five thousand years old — and another cat of
another breed, in what is practically another world, is
ready to fly at it, just as it would if it were not dead.
I should like to experiment a bit about that cat if you
don't mind, Miss Trelawny." She hesitated before re-
plying:

"Of course, do anything 3'ou may think necessary or
wise; but I hope it will not be anything to hurt or worry
my poor Silvio." The Doctor smiled as he answered:

"Oh, Silvio would be all right; it is the other one that
my sympathies would be reserved for."

"How do you mean?"

"Master Silvio will do the attacking; the other one will
do the suffering."

"Sufferings" There was a note of pain in her voice.
The Doctor smiled more broadly:

"Oh, please make your mind easy as to that. The
other won't suffer as we understand it; except perhaps
in his structure and outfit."

"What on earth do you mean ?"

"Simply this, my dear young lady, that the antagonist
will be a mummy cat like this one. There are, I take it,
plenty of them to be had in Museum Street. I shall get
one and place it here instead of that one — you won't
think that a temporary exchange will violate your
Father's instructions, I hope. We shall then find out,
to begin with, whether Silvio objects to all mummy
cats, or only to this one in particular."

36

The Jewel off Seoen Stars

"I don't know," she said doubtfully. "Father's in-
structions seem very uncompromising." Then after a
pause she went on: "But of course under the circum-
stances anything that is to be ultimately for his good
must be done. I suppose there can't be anything very
particular about the mummy of a cat."

Doctor Winchester said nothing. He sat rigid, with so
grave a look on his face that his extra gravity passed
on to me; and in its enlightening perturbation I began
to realise, more than I had yet done, the strangeness
of the case in which I was now so deeply concerned.
When once this thought had begun there was no end
to it. Indeed it grew, and blossomed, and reproduced
itself in a thousand different ways. The room and all
in it gave grounds for strange thoughts. There were so
many ancient relics that unconsciously one was taken
back to strange lands and strange times. There were so
many mummies, or mummy objects, round which there
seems to cling for ever the penetrating odors of bitumen,
and spices and gums — " Nard and Circassia's balmy
smells" — that one was unable to forget the past. Of
course, there was but little light in the room, and that
carefully shaded; so that there was no glare anywhere.
None of that direct light which can manifest itself as a
power or an entity, and so make for companionship.
The room was a large one, and lofty in proportion to its
size. In its vastness was place for a multitude of things
not often found in -a bedchamber. In far corners of the
room were shadows of uncanny shape. More than once
as I thought, the multitudinous presence of the dead
and the past took such hold on me that I caught myself
looking round fearfully, as though some strange per-
sonality or influence was present. Even the manifest
37

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

presence of Doctor Winchester and Miss Trelawny could
not altogether comfort or satisfy me at such moments.
It was with a distinct sense of relief that I saw a new
personality in the room in the shape of Nurse Kennedy.
There was no doubt that that business-like, self-reliant,
capable young woman added an element of security in
the whirl of such wild imaginings as my own. She had
a quality of common -sense that seemed to pervade
everything around her, as though it were some kind of
emanation. Up to that moment I had been building
fancies around the sick man; so that finally all about
him, including myself, had become involved in them,
or enmeshed, or saturated, or . . . But now that she
had come, he relapsed into his proper perspective as a
patient; the room was a sick-room, and the shadows
lost their fearsome quality. The only thing which it
could not altogether abrogate was the strange Egyptian
smell. You may put a mummy in a glass case and
hermetically seal it so that no corroding air can get
within; but all the same it will exhale its odor. One
might think that four or five thousand years would ex-
haust the olfactory qualities of anything; but experi-
ence teaches us that these smells remain, and that their
secrets are unknown to us. To-day they are as much
mysteries as they were when the embalmers put the
body in the bath of natron. . . .

All at once I sat up. I had become lost in an absorb-
ing reverie. The Egyptian smell had seemed to get on
my nerves — on my memory — on my very will.

At that moment I had a thought which was like an

inspiration. If I was influenced in such a manner by

the smell, might it not be that the sick man, who lived

half his life or more in the atmosphere, had gradually

38

The Jetoel of" Seoen Stars

and by slow but sure process taken into his system
something which had permeated him to such degree
that it had a new power derived from quantity — or
strength — or . . .

I was becoming lost again in a reverie. This would not
do. I must take such precaution that I could remain
awake, or free from such entrancing thought. I had
had but half a night's sleep last night; and this night I
must remain awake. Without stating my intention, for
I feared that I might add to the trouble and uneasiness
of Miss Trelawny, I went downstairs and out of the
house. I soon found a chemist's shop, and came away
with a respirator. When I got back, it was ten o'clock;
The Doctor was going for the night. The Nurse came
with him to the door of the sick-room, taking her last
instructions. Miss Trelawny sat still beside the bed.
Sergeant Daw, who had entered as the Doctor went out,
was some little distance off.

When Nurse Kennedy joined us, we arranged that she
should sit up till two o'clock, when Miss Trelawny would
relieve her. Thus, in accordance with Mr. Trelawny 's
instructions, there would always be a man and a woman
in the room; and each one of us would overlap, so that
at no time would a new set of watchers come on duty
without some one to tell of what — if anything — had
occurred. I lay down on a sofa in my own room,
having arranged that one of the servants should call
me a little before twelve. In a few moments I was

When I was waked, it took me several seconds to get

back my thoughts so as to recognise my own identity

and surroundings. The short sleep had, however, done

me good, and I could look on things around me in a

39

The Jeroel of Secen Stars

more practical light than I had been able to do earlier
in the evening. I bathed my face, and thus refreshed,
went into the sick-room. I moved very softly. The
Nurse was sitting by the bed, quiet and alert. The
Detective sat in an armchair across the room in deep
shadow. He did not move when I crossed, until I got
close to him, when he said in a dull whisper:

"It is all right; I have not been asleep!"

An unnecessary thing to say, I thought. It always is,
unless it be untrue in spirit. When I told him that his
watch was over— that he might go to bed till I should
call him at six o'clock, he seemed relieved and went with
alacrity. At the door he turned and, coming back to
me, said in a whisper:

"I sleep lightly and I shall have my pistols with me.
I sha'n't feel so heavy - headed when I get out of this
mummy smell."

He too, then, had shared my experience of drowsi-
ness!

I asked the Nurse if she wanted anything. I noticed
that she had a vinaigrette in her lap. Doubtless she,
too, had felt some of the influence which had so affected
me. She said that she had all she required, but that if
she should want anything she would at once let me
know. I wished to keep her from noticing my respirator,
so I went to the chair in the shadow so that her back
was toward me. Here I quietly put it on, and made
myself comfortable.

For what seemed a long time, I sat and thought and
thought. It was a wild medley of thoughts, as might
have been expected from the experiences of the previous
day and night. Again I found myself thinking of the
Egyptian smell; and I remember that I felt a delicious

The Jetcel of Sec en Stars

satisfaction that I did not experience it as I had done.
The respirator was doing its work.

It must have been that the passing of this disturbing
thought made for repose of mind, which is the corollary
of bodily rest; for, though I really cannot remember
being asleep or waking from it, I saw a vision — I dreamed
a dream. I scarcely know which.

I was still in the room, seated in the chair. I had on
my respirator and knew that I breathed freely. The
Nurse sat in her chair with her back toward me. She
sat quite still. The sick man lay as still as the dead.
It was rather like the picture of a scene than the reality;
all were still and silent ; and the stillness and silence were
continuous. Outside, in the distance I could hear the
sounds of a city, the occasional roll of wheels, the shout
of a reveller, the far - away echo of whistles and the
rumbling of trains. The light was very, very low; the
reflection of it under the green-shaded lamp was a dim
relief to the darkness, rather than light. The green
silk fringe of the lamp had merely the color of an emerald
seen in the moonlight. The room, for all its darkness,
was full of shadows. It seemed in my whirling thoughts
as though all the real things had become shadows —
shadows which moved, for they passed the dim outline
of the high windows. Shadows which had sentience.
I even thought there was sound, a faint sound as of the
mew of a cat — the rustle of drapery and a metallic clink
as of metal faintly -touching metal. I sat as one en-
tranced. At last I felt, as in nightmare, that this was
sieep, and that in the passing of its portals all my will
had gone. . . .

All at once my senses were full awake. A shriek
rung in my ears. The room was filled suddenly with a

The jewel off Seoen Stars

blaze of light. There were sounds of pistol shots — one,
two; and a haze of white smoke in the room.

When my waking eyes regained their power, I could
have shrieked with horror myself at what I saw before
me.

TWe Second Attempt

THE sight which met my eyes had the horror of
a dream within a dream, with the certainty of
reality added. The room was as I had seen it last;
except that in the glare of the many lights the shadowy
look had gone, and every article in it stood stark and
solidly real.

By the empty bed sat Nurse Kennedy, as my eyes had
last seen her, sitting bolt upright in the armchair be-
side the bed. She had placed a pillow behind her, so
that her back might be erect; but her neck was fixed
as that of one in a cataleptic trance. She was, to all
intents and purposes, turned into stone. There was no
special expression on her face — no fear, no horror, noth-
ing such as might be expected of one in such a con-
dition. Her open eyes showed neither wonder nor
interest. She was simply a negative existence, warm,
breathing, placid; but absolutely unconscious of the
world around her. The bedclothes were disarranged,
as though the patient had been drawn from under
them without throwing them back. The corner of the
upper sheet hung upon the floor ; close by it lay one of
the bandages with which the Doctor had dressed the
wounded wrist. Another and another lay further along
the floor, as though forming a clue to where the sick
man now lay. This was almost exactly where he had
43

The Jetuel of Secen Stars

been found on the previous night, under the great safe.
Again, the left arm lay toward the safe. But there had
been a new outrage, an attempt had been made to
sever the arm close to. the bangle which held the tiny
key. A heavy Kukri knife — one of the leaf-shaped
knives which the Ghourkas and others of the hill tribes
of India use with such effect — had been taken from its
place on the wall; and with it the attempt had been
made. It was manifest that just at the moment of
striking, the blow had been arrested; for only the point
of the knife and not the edge of the blade had struck
the flesh. As it was, the outer side of the arm had been
cut to the bone, and the blood was pouring out. In
addition, the former wound in front of the arm had
been cut or torn about terribly ; one of the cuts seemed
to jet out blood as if with each pulsation of the heart.
By the side of her Father knelt Miss Trelawny, her white
nightdress stained with the blood in which she knelt.
In the middle of the room Sergeant Daw, in his shirt and
trousers and stocking feet, was putting fresh cartridges
into his revolver in a dazed mechanical kind of way.
His eyes were red and heavy ; he seemed only half awake,
and less than half conscious of what was going on
around him. Several servants, bearing lights of various
kinds, were clustered round the doorway.

As I rose from my chair and came forward, Miss
Trelawny raised her eyes toward me. When she saw
me she shrieked and started to her feet, pointing toward
me. Never shall I forget the strange picture she made,
with her white drapery all smeared with blood which,
as she rose from the pool, ran in streaks toward her
bare feet. I believe that I had only been asleep; that
whatever influence had worked on Mr. Trelawny and
44

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

Nurse Kennedy— and in less degree on Sergeant Daw —
had not touched me. The respirator had been of some
service, though it had not kept off the tragedy whose
dire evidences were before me. I can understand now —
I could understand even then — the fright, added to that
which had gone before, which my appearance must have
evoked. I had still on the respirator, which covered
mouth and nose; my hair had been tossed in my sleep.
Coming suddenly forward, thus enwrapped and dis-
hevelled, in that horrified crowd, I must have had, in
the strange mixture of lights, an extraordinary and
terrifying appearance. It was well that I recognised
all this in time to avert another catastrophe; for the
half-dazed, mechanically-acting Detective put in the
cartridges and had raised his revolver to shoot at me
when I succeeded in wrenching off the respirator and
shouting to him to hold his hand. In this also he
acted mechanically; the red, half -awake eyes had not in
them even then the intention of conscious action. The
danger, however, was averted. The relief of the situa-
tion, strangely enough, came in a simple fashion. Mrs.
Grant, seeing that her young mistress had on only her
nightdress, had gone to fetch a dressing-gown, which
she now threw over her. This simple act brought us
all back to the region of fact. With a long breath, one
and all seemed to devote themselves to the most pressing
matter before us, that of staunching the flow of blood
from the arm of the wounded man. Even as the thought
of action came, I rejoiced; for the bleeding was very
proof that Mr. Trelawny still lived.

Last night's lesson was not thrown away. More than
one of those present knew now what to do in such an
emergency; within a few seconds willing hands were at
45

The Jewel o£ Seoen Stars

work on a tourniquet. A man was at once despatched
for the Doctor, and several of the servants disappeared
to make themselves respectable. We lifted Mr. Tre-
lawny on to the sofa where he had lain yesterday; and,
having done what we could for him, turned our atten-
tion to the Nurse. In all the turmoil she had not stir-
red; she sat there as before, erect and rigid, breathing
softly and naturally and with a placid smile. As it was
manifestly of no use to attempt anything with her till
the Doctor had come, we began to think of the general
situation.

Mrs. Grant had by this time taken her mistress away
and changed her clothes; for she was back presently
in a dressing-gown and slippers, and with the traces of
blood removed from her hands. She was now much
calmer, though she trembled sadly; and her face was
ghastly white. "When she had looked at her Father's
wrist, I holding the tourniquet, she turned her eyes
round the room, resting them now and again on each
one of us present in turn, but seeming to find no com-
fort. It was so apparent to me that she did not know
where to begin or whom to trust that, to reassure her, I
said:

"I am all right now; I was only asleep." Her voice
had a gulp in it as she said in a low voice :

"Asleep! You! and my Father in danger! I thought
you were on watch!" I felt the sting of justice in the
reproach ; but I really wanted to help her, so I answered :

"Only asleep. It is bad enough, I know; but there is
something more than an 'only' round us here. Had it
not been that I took a definite precaution I might have
been like the Nurse there." She turned her eyes swiftly
on the weird figure, sitting grimly upright like a painted
46

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

statue; and then her face softened. With the action of
habitual courtesy she said:

"Forgive me! I did not mean to be rude. But I am
in such distress and fear that I hardly know what I am
saying. Oh, it is dreadful ! I fear for fresh trouble and
horror and mystery every moment." This cut me to
the very heart, and out of the heart's fulness I spoke:

"Don't give me a thought! I don't deserve it. I
was on guard, and yet I slept. All that I can say is that
I didn't mean to, and I tried to avoid it; but it was
over me before I knew it. Anyhow, it is done now; and
can't be undone. Probably some day we may under-
stand it all; but now let us try to get at some idea of
what has happened. Tell me what you remember!"
The effort to recollect seemed to stimulate her; she be-
came calmer as she spoke:

"I was asleep, and woke suddenly with the horrible
feeling on me that Father was again in great and im-
mediate danger. I jumped up and ran, just as I was,
into his room. It was nearly pitch dark, but as I
opened the door there was light enough to see Father's
nightgear as he lay on the floor under the safe, just as
on that first awful night. Then I think I must have
gone mad for a moment." She stopped and shuddered.
My eyes lit on Sergeant Daw, still fiddling in an aimless
way with the revolver. Mindful of my work with the
tourniquet, I said calmly:

"Now tell us, Sergeant Daw, what did you fire at?"
The Policeman seemed to pull himself together with the
habit of obedience. Looking around at the servants
remaining in the room, he said with that air of impor-
tance which, I take it, is the regulation attitude of an
official of the law before strangers:
47

The Jetuel of'Seoea Stars

" Don't you think, sir, that we can allow the servants
to go away? We can then better go into the matter."
I nodded approval; the servants took the hint and
withdrew though unwillingly, the last one closing the
door behind him. Then the Detective went on:

"I think I had better tell you my impressions, sir,
rather than recount my actions. That is, so far as I
remember them." There was a mortified deference now
in his manner, which probably arose from his conscious-
ness of the awkward position in which he found himself.
"I went to sleep half dressed— as I am now, with a
revolver under my pillow. It was the last thing I re-
member thinking of. I do not know how long I slept.
I had turned off the electric light, and it was quite dark.
I thought I heard a scream; but I can't be sure, for I
felt thick-headed as a man does when he is called too
soon after an extra long stretch of work. Not that
such was the case this time. Anyhow my thoughts
flew to the pistol. I took it out, and came on to the
landing. Then I heard a sort of scream, or rather a call
for help, and ran in here. The room was dark, for the
lamp beside the Nurse was out; the only light was that
from the landing, coming through the open door. Miss
Trelawny was kneeling on the floor beside her Father,
and was screaming. I thought I saw something move
between me and the window; so, without thinking, and
being half dazed and only half awake, I shot at it. It
moved a little more to the right between the windows,
and I shot again. Then you came up out of the big
chair with all that muffling on your face. It seemed
to me, being as I say half dazed and only half awake —
I know, sir, you will take this into account — as if it had
been you, being in the same direction as the thing I had

The Jewel oi Seuen Stars

fired at. And so I was about to fire again when you
pulled off the wrap." Here I asked him— I was cross-
examining now and felt at home:

"You say you thought I was the thing you fired at.
What thing?" The man scratched his head, but made
no reply.

"Come, sir," I said, "what thing; what was it like?"
The answer came in a low voice:

"I don't know, sir. I thought there was something;
but what it was, or what it was like, I haven't the
faintest notion. I suppose it was because I had been
thinking of the pistol before I went to sleep, and because
when I came in here I was half dazed and only half
awa^e — which I hope you will in future, sir, always
remember." He clung to that formula of excuse as
though it were his sheet-anchor. I did not want to
antagonise the man. On the contrary I wanted to have
him with us; besides, I had on me at that time myself
the shadow of my own default, so I said as kindly as I
knew how :

"Quite right! Sergeant. Your impulse was correct;
though of course in the half - somnolent condition in.
which you were, and perhaps partly affected by the
same influence — whatever it may be — which made me
sleep and which has put the Nurse in that cataleptic
trance, it could not be expected that you would pause
to weigh matters. But now, whilst the matter is fresh,
let me see exactly where you stood and where I sat.
We shall be able to trace the course of your bullets."
The prospect of action and the exercise of his habitual
skill seemed to brace him at once ; he seemed a different
man as he set about his work. I asked Mrs. Grant to
hold the tourniquet, and went and stood where he had
49

The Jetuel o£ Seoen Stars

stood and looked where, in the darkness, he had pointed.
I could not but notice the mechanical exactness of his
mind, as when he showed me where he had stood, or
drew, as a matter of course, the revolver from his pistol
pocket, and pointed with it. The chair from which I
had risen still stood in its place. Then I asked him to
point with his hand only, as I wished to move in the
track of his shot.

Just behind my chair, and a little back of it, stood a
high buhl cabinet. The glass door was shattered. I
asked :

"Was this the direction of your first shot or your
second?" The answer came promptly:

"The second; the first was over there!"

He turned a little to the left, more toward the wall
where the great safe stood, and pointed. I followed the
direction of his hand and came to the low table whereon
rested, amongst other curios, the mummy of the cat which
had raised Silvio's ire. I got a candle and easily found
the mark of the bullet. It had broken a little glass vase
and a tazza of black basalt, exquisitely engraved with
hieroglyphics, the graven lines being filled with some
faint green cement and the whole thing being polished
to an equal surface. The bullet, flattened against the
wall, lay on the table.

I then went to the broken cabinet. It was evidently
a receptacle for valuable curios ; for in it were some great
scarabs of gold, agate, green jasper, amethyst, lapis
lazuli, opal, granite, and blue - green china. None of
these things happily were touched. The bullet had gone
through the back of the cabinet; but no other damage,
save the shattering of the glass, had been done. I
could not but notice the strange arrangement of the
5°

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

curios on the shelf of the cabinet. All the scarabs, rings,
amulets, etc., were arranged in an uneven oval round
an exquisitely -carved golden miniature figure of a hawk-
headed God crowned with a disk and plumes. I did not
wait to look further at present, for my attention was
demanded by more pressing things; but I determined
to make a more minute examination when I should have
time. It was evident that some of the strange Egyptian
smell clung to these old curios; through the broken
glass came an added whiff of spice and gum and bitu-
men, almost stronger than those I had already noticed
as coming from others in the room.

All this had really taken but a few minutes. I was
surprised when my eye met, through the chinks between
the dark window blinds and the window cases, the
brighter light of the coming dawn. When I went back
to the sofa and took the tourniquet from Mrs. Grant,
she went over and pulled up the blinds.

It would be hard to imagine anything more ghastly
than the appearance of the room with the faint grey
light of early morning coming in upon it. As the win-
dows faced north, any light that came was a fixed grey
light without any of the rosy possibility of dawn which
comes in the eastern quarter of the heavens. The electric
lights seemed dull and yet glaring; and every shadow
was of a hard intensity. There was nothing of morning
freshness; nothing of the softness of night. All was hard
and cold, and inexpressibly dreary. The face of the
senseless man on the sofa seemed of a ghastly yellow;
and the Nurse's face had taken a suggestion of green
from the shade of the lamp near her. Only Miss Tre-
lawny's face looked white; and it was of a pallor which
made my heart ache. It looked as if nothing on God's
S1

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

earth could ever again bring back to it the color of life
and happiness.

It was a relief to us all when Doctor Winchester came
in,breathless with running. He only asked one question :

"Can any one tell me anything of how this wound
was gotten?" On seeing the headshake which went
round us under his glance, he said no more, but applied
himself to his surgical work. For an instant he looked
up at the Nurse sitting so still ; but then bent himself to
his task, a grave frown contracting his brows. It was
not till the arteries were tied and the wounds completely
dressed that he spoke again, except, of course, when
he had asked for anything to be handed to him or to be
done for him. When Mr. Trelawny's wounds had been
thoroughly cared for, he said to Miss Trelawny:

"What about Nurse Kennedy?" She answered at
once:

" I really do not know. I found her when I came
into the room at half-past two o'clock, sitting exactly
as she does now. We have not moved her, or changed
her position. She has not wakened since. Even Ser-
geant Daw's pistol-shots did not disturb her."

"Pistol-shots? Have you then discovered any cause
for this new outrage?" The rest were silent, so I an-
swered :

"We have discovered nothing. I was in the room
watchingwith the Nurse. Earlier in the evening I fancied
that the mummy smells were making me drowsy, so I
went out and got a respirator. I had it on when I came
on duty ; but it did not keep me from going to sleep. I
awoke to see the room full of people; that is, Miss Tre-
lawny and Sergeant Daw and the servants. The Nurse
was sitting in her chair just as I had seen her. Sergeant

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The Jewel of Seoen Stars

Daw, being only half awake and still stupefied by the
same scent or influence which had affected us, fancied
that he saw something moving through the shadowy
darkness of the room, and fired twice. When I rose
out of my chair, with my face swathed in the respira-
tor, he took me for the cause of the trouble. Naturally
enough, was about to fire again, but I was fortunately
in time to manifest my identity. Mr. Trelawny was ly-
ing beside the safe, just as he was found last night; and
was bleeding profusely from the new wound in his wrist.
We lifted him on the sofa, and made a tourniquet. That
is, literally and absolutely, all that any of us know as
yet. We have not touched the knife, which you see lies
close by the pool of blood. Look!" I said, going over and
lifting it," the point is red with the -blood which has dried."

Doctor Winchester stood quite still a few minutes
before speaking.

"Then the doings of this night are quite as mysterious
■ as those of last night?"

"Quite!" I answered. He said nothing in reply, but
turning to Miss Trelawny said :

"We had better take Nurse Kennedy into another
room. I suppose there is nothing to prevent it?"

"Nothing! Please, Mrs. Grant, see that Nurse Ken-
nedy's room is ready; and ask two of the men to come
and carry her in." Mrs. Grant went out immediately;
and in a few minutes came back saying:

"The room is .quite ready; and the men are here."
By her direction two footmen came into the ropm,
and, lifting up the rigid body of Nurse Kennedy, carried
her, under the supervision of the Doctor, out of the room.
Miss Trelawny remained with me in the sick chamber;
Mrs. Grant went with the Doctor into the Nurse's room.
53

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

When we were alone Miss Trelawny came over to me,
and taking both my hands in hers, said:

"I hope you won't remember what I said. I did not
mean it, and I was distraught." I did not make reply;
but I held her hands and kissed them. There are differ-
ent ways of kissing a lady's hands. This way was in-
tended as homage and respect ; and it was accepted as such
in the high-bred, dignified way which marked Miss Tre-
lawny's bearing and every movement. I went over to
the sofa and looked down at the senseless man. The
dawn had come much nearer in the last few minutes,
and there was something of the clearness of day in the
light. As I looked at the stern, cold, set face, in the
pale grey light, as white as a marble monument, I
could not but feel that there was some deep mystery
beyond all that had happened within the last twenty-six
hours. Those beetling brows screened some massive
purpose; that high, broad forehead held some finished
train of reasoning, which the broad chin and massive
jaw would help to carry into effect. As I looked and
wondered, there began to steal over me again that phase
of wandering thought which had last night heralded
the approach of sleep. I resisted it, and held myself
sternly to the present. This was easier to do when Miss
Trelawny came close to me, and, leaning her forehead
against my shoulder, began to cry silently. Then all the
manhood in me woke, and to present purpose. It was
of little use trying to speak; words were inadequate to
thought. But we understood each other; she did not
draw away when I put my arm protectingly over her
shoulder as I used to do with my little sister long ago
when in her childish trouble she would come to her big
brother to be comforted. That very act or attitude of

The Jetoel o£ Seoen Stars

protection made me more resolute in my purpose, and
seemed to clear my brain of idle, dreamy, wandering
thought. With an instinct of greater protection, how-
ever, I took away my arm as I heard the Doctor's foot-
step outside the door.

When Doctor Winchester came in he looked intently at
the patient before speaking. His brows were set, and
his mouth was a thin, hard line. Presently he said:

"There is much in common between the sleep of your
Father and Nurse Kennedy. Whatever influence has
brought it about has probably worked the same way
in both cases. In Kennedy's case the coma is less
marked. I cannot but feel, however, that with her we
may be able to do more and more quickly than with this
patient, as our hands are not tied. I have placed her
in a draught; and already she shows some signs, though
very faint ones, of ordinary unconsciousness. The rigid-
ity of her limbs is less, and her skin seems more sen-
sitive— or perhaps I should say less insensitive — to
pain."

"How is it, then," I asked, "that Mr. Trelawny is
still in this state of insensibility, and yet, so far as we
know, his body has not had such rigidity at all?"

"That I cannot answer. The problem is one which
we may solve in a few hours; or it may need a few days.
But it will be a useful lesson in diagnosis to us all; and
perhaps to many and many others after us, who knows!"
he added, with the genuine fire of an enthusiast.

As the morning wore on, he flitted perpetually be-
tween the two rooms, watching anxiously over both
patients. He made Mrs. Grant remain with the Nurse,
but either Miss Trelawny or I, generally both of us,
remained with the wounded man. We each managed,
55

The Jewel of Seuen Stars

however, to get bathed and dressed; the Doctor and
Mrs. Grant remained with Mr. Trelawny whilst we had
breakfast.

Sergeant Daw went off to report at Scotland Yard
the progress of the night; and then to the local station
to arrange for the coming of his comrade, Wright, as
fixed with Superintendent Dolan. When he returned I
could not but think that he had been hauled over the
coals for shooting in a sick-room; or perhaps for shoot-
ing at all without certain and proper cause. His remark
to me enlightened me in the matter.

"A good character is worth something, sir, in spite
of what some of them say. See! I've still got leave
to carry my revolver."

That day was a long and anxious one. Toward night-
fall Nurse Kennedy so far improved that the rigidity
of her limbs entirely disappeared. She still breathed
quietly and regularly; but the fixed expression of her
face, though it was a calm enough expression, gave place
to fallen eyelids and the negative look of sleep. Doctor
Winchester had, toward evening, brought another Nurse
to share in the watching with Miss Trelawny, who had
insisted on remaining up herself. She had, in order to
prepare for the duty, slept for several hours in the after-
noon. We had all taken counsel together, and had ar-
ranged thus for the watching in Mr. Trelawnv's room.
Mrs. Grant was to remain beside the patient till twelve, '
when Miss Trelawny would relieve her. The new Nurse
was to sit in Miss Trelawny 's room, and to visit the sick
chamber each quarter of an hour. The Doctor would
remain till twelve ; when T was to relieve hira. One or
other of the Detectives was to remain within hail of
the room all night; and to pay periodical visits to see
S<5

The Jetoel off Secen Stars

that all was well. Thus, the watchers would be watched;
and the possibility of such events as last night, when the
watchers were both overcome, would be avoided.

When the sun set, a strange and grave anxiety fell on
all of us ; and in our separate ways we prepared for the
vigil. Doctor Winchester had evidently been thinking of
my respirator, for he told me he would go out and get
one. Indeed, he took to the idea so kindly that I
persuaded Miss Trelawny also to have one which she
could put on when her time for watching came.

And so the night drew on.

More Strange Instructions

WHEN I came from my room at half-past eleven
o'clock I found all well in the sick-room. The
new Nurse, prim, neat, and watchful, sat in the chair
by the bedside where Nurse Kennedy had sat last night.
A little way off, between the bed and the safe, sat
Doctor "Winchester alert and wakeful, but looking strange
and almost comic with the respirator over mouth and
nose. As I stood in the doorway looking at them I heard
a slight sound ; turning round I saw the new Detective,
who nodded, held up the finger of silence and withdrew
quietly. Hitherto no one of the watchers was overcome
by sleep.

I took a chair outside the door. As yet there was no
need for me to risk coming again under the subtle in-
fluence of last night. Naturally my thoughts went re-
volving round the main incidents of the last day and
night, and I found myself arriving at strange conclusions,
doubts, conjectures; but I did not lose myself, as on last
night, in the trains of thought. The sense of the pres-
ent was ever with me, and I really felt as should a sen-
try on guard. Thinking is not a slow process ; and when
it is earnest the time can pass quickly. It seemed a
very short time indeed till the door, usually left ajar,
was pulled open and Doctor Winchester emerged, taking
off his respirator as he came. His act, when he had it
58

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

off, was demonstrative of his keenness. He turned up
the outside of the wrap and smelled it carefully.

"I am going now," he said. "I shall come early in
the morning; unless, of course, I am sent for before.
But all seems well to-night."

The next to appear was Sergeant Daw, who went
quietly into the room and took the seat vacated by the
Doctor. I still remained outside ; but every few minutes
looked into the room. This was rather a form than a
matter of utility, for the room was so dark that coming
even from the dimly lighted corridor it was hard to
distinguish anything.

A little before twelve o'clock Miss Trelawny came
from her room. Before coming to her Father's she went
into that occupied by Nurse Kennedy. After a couple
of minutes she came out, looking, I thought, a trifle more
cheerful. She had her respirator in her hand, but before
putting it on, asked me if anything special had occurred
since she had gone to lie down. I answered in a whisper
— there was no loud talking in the house to-night — that
all was safe, was well. She then put on her respirator,
and I mine; and we entered the room. The Detective
and the Nurse rose up, and we took their places. Sergeant
Daw was the last to go out ; he closed the door behind
him as we had arranged.

For a while I sat quiet, my heart beating. The place
was grimly dark. The only light was a faint one from
the top of the lamp which threw a white circle on the
high ceiling, except the emerald sheen of the shade as
the light took its under edges. This light only seemed
to emphasise the blackness of the shadows, which pres-
ently began to seem, as on last night, to have a sen-
tience of their own. I did not myself feel in the least
59

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

sleepy ; and whenever I went softly over to look at the
patient, which I did about every ten minutes, I could
see that Miss Trelawny was keenly alert. Every quarter
of an hour one or other of the Policemen looked in
through the partly opened door. Each time both Miss
Trelawny and I said through our mufflers, "All right,"
and the door was closed again.

As the time wore on , the silence and the darkness
seemed to increase. The circle of light on the ceiling
was still there, but it seemed less brilliant than at first.
The green edging of the lamp-shade became like Maori
greenstone rather than emerald. The sounds of the
night without the house, and the starlight spreading
pale lines along the edges of the window-cases, made the
pall of black within more solemn and more mysterious.

We heard the clock in the corridor chiming the
quarters with its silver bell till two o'clock; and then a
strange feeling came over me. I could see from Miss
Trelawny's movement as she looked round, that she
also had some new sensation. The new detective had
just looked in ; we two were alone with the unconscious
patient for another quarter of an hour.

My heart began to beat wildly. There was a sense of
fear over me ; but not for myself ! My fear was imperson-
al. It seemed as though some new person had entered
the room, and that a strong intelligence was awake close
to me. Something brushed against my leg. I put my
hand down hastily and touched the furry coat of Silvio.
With a very faint far-away sound of a snarl he turned
and scratched at me. I felt blood on my hand. I rose
gently and came over to the bedside. Miss Trelawny,
too, had stood up and was looking behind her, as
though there was something close to her. Her eyes
60

The Jewel of! Serjen Stars

were wild, and her breast rose and fell as though she
were fighting for air. When I touched her she did not
seem to feel me; she worked her hands in front of her,
as though she was fending off something.

There was not an instant to lose. I seized her in my-
arms and rushed over to the door, threw it open, and
strode into the passage, calling loudly:

"Help! Help!"

In an instant the two Detectives,- Mrs. Grant, and the
Nurse appeared on the scene. Close on their heels came
several of the servants, both men and women. Im-
mediately Mrs. Grant came near enough, I placed Miss
Trelawny in her arms and rushed back into the room,
turning up the electric light as soon as I could lay my
hand on it. Sergeant Daw and the Nurse followed me.

We were just in time. Close under the great safe,
where on the two successive nights he had been found,
lay Mr. Trelawny with his left arm, bare save for the
bandages, stretched out. Beside him was a leaf-shaped
Egyptian knife which had lain amongst the curios on the
shelf of the broken cabinet. Its point was stuck in the
parquet floor, whence had been removed the blood-
stained rug.

But there was no sign of disturbance anywhere; nor
any sign of any one or anything unusual. The Police-
men and I searched the room accurately, whilst the
Nurse and two of the servants lifted the wounded man
back to bed ; but no sign or clue could we get. Very
soon Miss Trelawny returned to the room. She was
pale but collected. When she came close to me she
said in a low voice:

"I felt myself fainting. I did not know why; but I
was afraid!"

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The Jewel of Seoen Stars

The only other shock I had was when Miss Trelawny
cried out to me, as I placed my hand on the bed to lean
over and look carefully at her Father :

"You are wounded. Look! look! your hand is bloody.
There is blood on the sheets!" I had, in the excitement,
quite forgotten Silvio's scratch. As I looked at it, the
recollection came back to me ; but before I could say a
word Miss Trelawny had caught hold of my hand and
lifted it up. When she saw the parallel lines of the cuts
she cried out again :

"It is the same wound as Father's!" Then she laid
my hand down gently but quickly, and said to me and
to Sergeant Daw:

"Come to my room! Silvio is there in his basket."
We followed her, and found Silvio sitting in his bas-
ket awake. He was licking his paws. The Detective
said:

"He is there sure enough! But why lick his paws?"

Margaret — Miss Trelawny gave a moan as she bent
over and took one of the forepaws in her hand; but the
cat seemed to resent it and snarled. At that Mrs. Grant
came into the room. When she saw that we were look-
ing at the cat she said:

"The Nurse tells me that Silvio had been asleep on
Nurse Kennedy's bed from the time you went to your
Father's room until a while ago. He came there just
after you had gone to master's room. Nurse says that
Nurse Kennedy is moaning and muttering in her sleep
as though she had a nightmare. I think we should send
for Doctor Winchester."

"Do so at once, please!" said Miss Trelawny; and we
went back to the room.

For a while Miss Trelawny stood looking at her Father,
62

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

with her brows wrinkled. Then, turning to me, as
though her mind were made up, she said:

"Don't you think we should have a consultation on Fa-
ther? Of course I have every confidence in Doctor Win-
chester; he seems an immensely clever young man. But
he is a young man; and there must be men who have
devoted themselves to this branch of science. Such a
man would have more knowledge and more experience;
and his knowledge and experience might help to throw
light on poor Father's case. As it is, Doctor Winchester
seems to be quite in the dark. Oh! I don't know what
to do. It is all so terrible!" Here she broke down a
little and cried ; and I tried to comfort her.

Doctor Winchester arrived quickly. His first thought
was for his patient; but when he found him without
further harm, he visited Nurse Kennedy. When he
saw her, a hopeful look came into his eyes. Taking a
towel, he dipped a corner of it in cold water and flicked
her on the face. The skin colored, and she stirred
slightly. He said quietly to the new Nurse — Sister Doris
he called her:

"She is all right. She will wake in a few hours at
latest. She may be dizzy and distraught at first, or
perhaps hysterical. If so, you know how to treat her."

"Yes, sir!" answered Sister Doris demurely; and we
went back to Mr. Trelawny's room. As soon as we had
entered, Mrs. Grant went out, so that only Doctor Win-
chester, Miss Trela-wny, and myself remained in the room.
When the door had been closed Doctor Winchester asked
me as to what had occurred. I told him fully, giving
exactly every detail so far as I could remember. Through-
out my narrative, which did not take long, however,
he kept asking me questions as to who had been present
63

The Jetoel of" Seuen Stars

and the order in which each one had come into the
room. He asked other things, but nothing of any im-
portance; these were all that took my attention, or re-
mained in my memory. When our conversation was
finished, he said, in a very decided way indeed, to Miss
Trelawny :

" I think, Miss Trelawny, that we had better have a
consultation on this case." She answered at once,
seemingly a little to his surprise :

"I am glad you have mentioned it. I quite agree.
Who would you suggest?"

"Have you any choice yourself?" he asked. "Any
one to whom your Father is known ? Has he ever con-
sulted any one?"

"Not to my knowledge. But I hope you will choose
whomsoever you think would be best. My dear Father
should have all the help that can be had; and I shall
be deeply obliged by your choosing. Who is the best
man in London — anywhere else — in such a case?"

"There are several good men; but they are scattered
all over the world. Somehow, the brain specialist is
born, not made ; though a lot of hard work goes to the
completing of him and fitting him for his work. He
comes from no country. The most daring investigator
up to the present is Chiuni, the Japanese ; but he is rather
a surgical experimentalist than a practitioner. Then
there is Zammerfest of Upsala, and Fenelon of the
University of Paris, and Morfessi of Naples. These,
of course, are in addition to our own men, Morrison of
Aberdeen and Richardson of Birmingham. But before
them all I would put Frere of King's College. Of all
that I have named he best unites theory and practice.
He has no hobbies — that have been discovered at all
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The Jewel of Seoen Stars

events; and his experience is immense. It is the regret
of all of us who admire him that the nerve so firm and
the hand so dexterous must yield to time. For my own
part I would rather have Prere than any one living."

"Then," said Miss Trelawny decisively, "let us have
Doctor Frere — by the way, is he ' Doctor ' or ' Mister ' ? —
as early as we can get him in the morning!"

A weight seemed removed from him, and he spoke
with greater ease and geniality than he had yet shown :

" He is Sir James Frere. I shall go to him myself as
early as it is possible to see him, and shall ask him to
come here at once." Then turning to me he said:

"You had better let me dress your hand."

"It is nothing!" I said.

"Nevertheless it should be seen to. A scratch from
any animal might turn out dangerous; there is nothing
like being safe." I submitted; forthwith he began to
dress my hand. He examined with a magnifying-glass
the several parallel wounds, and compared them with
the slip of blotting-paper, marked with Silvio's claws,
which he took from his pocket-book. He put back the
paper, simply remarking:

"It's a pity that Silvio slips in — and out — just when
he shouldn't."

The morning wore slowly on. By ten o'clock Nurse
Kennedy had so far recovered that she was able to sit
up and talk intelligibly. But she was still hazy in
her thoughts; and- could not remember anything that
had happened on the previous night, after her taking
her place by the sick-bed. As yet, she seemed neither
to know nor care what had happened.

It was nearly eleven o'clock when Doctor Winchester
returned with Sir James Frere. Somehow I felt my
6S

The Jewel of Seuen Stars

heart sink when from the landing I saw them in the
hall below; I knew that Miss Trelawny was to have the
pain of telling yet another stranger of her ignorance of
her father's life.

Sir James Frere was a man who commanded attention
followed by respect. He knew so thoroughly what he
wanted himself, that he placed at once on one side all
wishes and ideas of less definite persons. The mere
flash of his piercing eyes, or the set of his resolute
mouth, or the lowering of his great eyebrows, seemed to
compel immediate and willing obedience to his wishes.
Somehow, when we had all been introduced and he was
well amongst us, all sense of mystery seemed to melt
away. It was with a hopeful spirit that I saw him pass
into the sick-room with Doctor Winchester.

They remained in the room a long time; once they
sent for the Nurse, the new one, Sister Doris, but she did
not remain long. Again they both went into Nurse
Kennedy's room. Doctor Winchester told me afterward
that Nurse Kennedy, though she was ignorant of later
matters, gave full and satisfactory answers to all Sir
James Frere's questions relating to her patient, up to
the time she became unconscious. Then they went to
the study, where they remained so long, and their voices
raised in heated discussion seemed in such determined
opposition, that I began to be uneasy. As for Miss
Trelawny, she was almost in a state of collapse from
nervousness before they joined us. Poor girl! she had
had a sadly anxious time of it, and her nervous strength
had almost broken down.

They came out at last, Sir James first, his grave face

looking as unenlightening as that of the sphinx. Doctor

Winchester followed him closely; his face was pale, but

66

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

■with that kind of pallor which looked like a reaction.
It gave me the idea that it had been red not long before.
Sir James asked that Miss Trelawny would come into
the study. He suggested that I should come also.
When we had entered, Sir James turned to me and
said:

"I understand from Doctor Winchester that you are a
friend of Miss Trelawny, and that you have already con-
siderable knowledge of this case. Perhaps it will be
well that you should be with us. I know you already
as a keen lawyer, Mr. Ross, though I never had the
pleasure of meeting you. As Doctor Winchester tells me
that there are some strange matters outside this case
which seem to puzzle him — and others — and in which
he thinks you may yet be specially interested, it might
be as well that you should know every phase of the case.
For myself I do not take much account of mysteries
— except those of science; and as there seems to be
some idea of an attempt at assassination or robbery,
all I can say is that if assassins were at work they
ought to take some elementary lessons in anatomy be-
fore their next job, for they seem thoroughly ignorant.
If robbery were their purpose, they seem to have worked
with marvellous inefficiency. That, however, is not
my business." Here he took a big pinch of snuff, and
turning to Miss Trelawny, went on: "Now as to the
patient. Leaving out the cause of his illness, all we can
say at present is that he appears to be suffering from a
marked attack of catalepsy. At present nothing can be
done, except to sustain his strength. The treatment of
my friend Doctor Winchester is mainly such as I approve
of; and I am confident that should any slight change arise
he will be able to deal with it satisfactorily. It is an
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interesting case— most interesting; and should any new
or abnormal development arise I shall be happy to come
at any time. There is just one thing to which I wish to
call your attention; and I put it to you, Miss Trelawny,
directly, since it is your responsibility. Doctor Win-
chester informs me that you are not yourself free in the
matter, but are bound by an instruction given by your
Father in case just such a condition of things should arise.
I would strongly advise that the patient be removed to
another room; or, as an alternative, that those mummies
and all such things should be removed from his chamber.
Why, it's enough to put any man into an abnormal con-
dition, to have such an assemblage of horrors round him,
and to breathe the atmosphere which they exhale. You
have evidence already of how such mephitic odor may
act. That nurse — Kennedy, I think you said, Doctor —
isn't yet out of her state of catalepsy; and you, Mr.
Ross, have, I am told, experienced something of the
same effects. I know this " — here his eyebrows came
down more than ever, and his mouth hardened — "If
I were in charge here I should insist on the patient
having a different atmosphere; or I would throw up the
case. Doctor Winchester already knows that I can only
be again consulted on this condition being fulfilled.
But I trust that you will see your way, as a good daugh-
ter to my mind should, to looking to your Father's health
and sanity rather than to any whim of his — whether
supported or not by a foregoing fear, or by any number
of 'penny dreadful' mysteries. The day has hardly
come yet, I am glad to say, when the British Museum
and St. Thomas's Hospital have exchanged their normal
functions. Good-day, Miss Trelawny. I earnestly hope
that I may soon see your Father restored. Remember,
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The Jetuel o£ Seoen Stars

that should you fulfil the elementary condition which
I have laid down, I am at your service day or night.
Good-morning, Mr. Ross. I hope you will be able to
report to me soon, Doctor Winchester!"

"When he had gone we stood silent, till the rumble
of his carriage wheels died away. The first to speak
was Doctor Winchester:

"I think it well to say that to my mind, speaking
purely as a physician, he is quite right. I feel as if I
could have assaulted him when he made it a condition
of not giving up the case ; but all the same he is right as
to treatment. He does not understand that there is
something odd about this special case ; and he will not
realise the knot that we are all tied up in by Mr. Tre-
lawny's instructions. Of course — " He was interrupt-
ed by Miss Trelawny:

"Doctor Winchester, do you, too, wish to give up the
case; or are you willing to continue it under the con-
ditions which you know?"

"Give it up! Less now than ever. Miss Trelawny,
I shall never give it up, so long as life is left to him or
any of us!" She said nothing, but held out her hand,
which he took warmly.

"Now," said she, "if Sir James Frere is a type of the
cult of Specialists, I want no more of them. To start
with, he does not seem to know any more than you do
about my Father's condition ; and if he were a hundredth
part as much interested in it as you are, he would not
stand on such punctilio. Of course, I am only too
anxious about my poor Father ; and if I can see a way to
meet either of Sir James Frere's conditions, I shall do so.
I shall ask Mr. Marvin to come here to-day, and advise
me as to the limit of Father's wishes. If he thinks I am
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The Jewel of Seoen Stars

free to act in any way on my own responsibility, I shall
not hesitate to do so." Then Doctor Winchester took
his leave.

Miss Trelawny sat down and wrote a letter to Mr.
Marvin, telling him of the state of affairs, and asking
him to come and see her and to bring with him any
papers which might throw any light on the subject.
She sent the letter off with a carriage to bring back
the solicitor; we waited with what patience we could
for his coming.

It is not a very long journey for oneself from Kensing-
ton Palace Gardens to Lincoln's Inn Fields; but it seem-
ed endlessly long when waiting for some one else to take
it. All things, however, are amenable to Time; it was
less than an hour all told when Mr. Marvin was with us.

He recognised Miss Trelawny 's impatience, and when
he had learned sufficient of her father's illness, he said
to her:

"Whenever you are ready I can go with you into
particulars regarding your Father's wishes."

"Whenever you like," she said, with an evident
ignorance of his meaning. "Why not now?" He
looked at me, as to a fellow man of business, and stam-
mered out:

"We are not alone."

"I have brought Mr. Ros,s here on purpose," she an-
swered. "He knows so much at present, that I want
him to know more." The solicitor was a little dis-
concerted, a thing which those knowing him only in
courts would hardly have believed. He answered, how-
ever, with some hesitation:

" But, my dear young lady— Your Father's wishes!—
Confidence between father and child "

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

Here she interrupted him; there was a tinge of red
in her pale cheeks as she did so:

"Do you really think that applies to the present
circumstances, Mr. Marvin? My Father never told me
anything of his affairs; and I can now, in this sad
extremity, only learn his wishes through a gentleman
who is a stranger to me and of whom I never even heard
till I got my Father's letter, written to be shown to me
only in extremity. Mr. Ross is a new friend; but he has
all my confidence, and I should like him to be present.
Unless, of course," she added, "such a thing is forbidden
by my Father. Oh! forgive me, Mr. Marvin, if I seem
rude; but I have been in such dreadful trouble and
anxiety lately, that I have hardly command of myself."
She covered her eyes with her hand for a few seconds;
we two men looked at each other and waited, trying to
appear unmoved. She went on more firmly; she had
recovered herself:

"Please! please do not think I am ungrateful to you
for your kindness in coming here and so quickly. I
really am grateful; and I have every confidence in your
judgment. If you wish, or think it best, we can be
alone." I stood up; but Mr. Marvin made a dissentient
gesture. He was evidently pleased with her attitude;
there was geniality in his voice and manner as he spoke :

"Not at all! Not at all! There is no restriction on
your Father's part; and on my own I am quite willing.
Indeed, all told, it may be better. From what you have
said of Mr. Trelawny's illness, and the other — inci-
dental— matters, it will be well in case of any — grave —
eventuality, that it was understood from the first, that
circumstances were ruled by your Father's own impera-
tive instructions. For, please, understand me, his in-

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

structkms are imperative — most imperative. They are
so unyielding that he has given me a Power of Attorney,
under which I have undertaken to act, authorising me
to see his written wishes carried out. Please believe
once for all, that he intended fully everything mentioned
in that letter to you! Whilst he is alive he is to remain
in his own room; and none of his property is to be re-
moved from it under any circumstances whatever. He
has even given an inventory of the articles which are
not to be displaced."

Miss Trelawny was silent. She looked somewhat dis-
tressed; so, thinking that I understood the immediate
cause, I asked:

" May we see the list?" Miss Trelawny's face at once
brightened; but it fell again as the lawyer answered
promptly — he was evidently prepared for the question:

"Not unless I am compelled to take action on the
Power of Attorney. I have brought that instrument
with me. You will recognise, Mr. Ross," he said this
with a sort of business conviction which I had noticed
in his professional work, as he handed me the deed,
"how strongly it is worded, and how the grantor made
his wishes apparent in such a way as to leave no loop-
hole. It is his own wording, except for certain legal
formalities; and I assure you I have seldom seen a more
iron-clad document. Even I myself have no power to
make the slightest relaxation of the instructions, with-
out committing a distinct breach of faith. And that, I
need not tell you, is impossible." He evidently added
the last words in order to prevent an appeal to his per-
sonal consideration. He did not like the seeming harsh-
ness of his words, however, for he added:

"I do hope, Miss Trelawny, that you understand that
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I am willing — frankly and unequivocally willing — to do
anything I can, within the limits of my power, to relieve
your distress. But your Father had, in alt his doings,
some purpose of his own which he did not disclose to
me. So. far as I can see, there is not a word of his in-
structions that he had not thought over fully. What-
ever idea he had in his mind was the idea of a lifetime ;
he had studied it in every possible phase, and was pre-
pared to guard it at every point.

"Now I fear I have distressed you, and I am truly
sorry for it; for I see you have much — too much — to
bear already. But I have no alternative. If you want
to consult me at any time about anything, I promise
you I will come without a moment's delay, at any hour
of the day or night. There is my private address," he
scribbled in his pocket-book as he spoke, "and under
it the address of my club, where I am generally to be
found in the evening." He tore out the paper and
handed it to her. She thanked him. He shook hands
with her and with me, and withdrew.

As soon 'as the hall door was shut on him, Mrs. Grant
tapped at the door and came in. There was such a look
of distress in her face that Miss Trelawny stood up,
deadly white, and asked her:

"What is it, Mrs. Grant? What is it? Any new
trouble?"

"I grieve to say, miss, that the servants, all but two,
have given notice and want to leave the house to-day.
They have talked the matter over among themselves;
the butler has spoken for the rest. He says as. how they
are willing to forego their wages, and even to pay their
legal obligations instead of notice; but that go to-day
they must."

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"What reason do they give?"

"None, miss. They say as how they're sorry, but
that they've nothing to say. I asked Jane, the upper
housemaid, miss, who is not with the rest but stops on;
and she tells me confidential that they've got some no-
tion in their silly heads that the house is haunted!"

We ought to have laughed, but we didn't. I could
not look in Miss Trelawny's face and laugh. The pain
and horror there showed no sudden paroxysm of fear;
there was a fixed idea of which this was a confirmation.
For myself, it seemed as if my brain had found a voice.
But the voice was not complete; there was some other
thought, darker and deeper, which lay behind it, whose
voice had not sounded as yet.

Suspicions

THE first to get full self-command was Miss Tre-
lawny. There was a haughty dignity in her bear-
ing as she said:

"Very well, Mrs. Grant; let them go! Pay them up
to to-day, and a month's wages. They have hitherto
been very good servants; and the occasion of their leav-
ing is not an ordinary one. We must not expect much
faithfulness from any one who is beset with fears. Those
who remain are to have in future double wages; and
please send these to me presently when I send word."
Mrs. Grant bristled with smothered indignation; all the
housekeeper in her was outraged by such generous treat-
ment of servants who had combined to give notice :

"They don't deserve it, miss; them to go on so, after
the way they have been treated here. Never in my life
have I seen servants so well treated, or any one so good
to them and gracious to them as you have been. They
might be in the household of a King for treatment. And
now, just as there is trouble, to go and act like this. It's
abominable, that's what it is!"

Miss Trelawny was very gentle with her, and smoothed
her ruffled dignity ; so that presently she went away with,
in her manner, a lesser measure of hostility to the un-
deserving. In quite a different frame of mind she re-
turned presently to ask if her mistress would like her to
75

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engage a full staff of other servants, or, at any rate, try
to do so. "For you know, ma'am," she went on, "when
once a scare has been established in the servants' hall,
it's wellnigh impossible to get rid of it. Servants may
come; but they go away just as quick. There's no hold-
ing them. They simply won't stay; or even if they
work out their month's notice, they lead you that life
that you wish every hour of the day that you hadn't
kept them. The women are bad enough , the huzzies ; but
the men are worse!" There was neither anxiety nor in-
dignation in Miss Trelawny 's voice or manner as she said :

"I think, Mrs. Grant, we had better try to do with
those we have. Whilst my dear Father is ill we shall not
be having any company, so that there will be only three
now in the house to attend to. If those servants who
are willing to stay are not enough, I should only get
sufficient to help them to do the work. It will not, I
should think, be difficult to get a few maids; perhaps
some that you know already. And please bear in mind,
that those whom you get, and who are suitable and will
stay, are henceforth to have the same wages as those
who are remaining. Of course, Mrs. Grant, you well
understand that though I do not group you in any way
with the servants, the rule of double salary applies to
you too." As she spoke she extended her long, fine-
shaped hand, which the other took and then, raising it
to her lips, kissed it impressively with the freedom of
an elder woman to a younger. I could not but admire
the generosity of her treatment of her servants. In my
mind I endorsed Mrs. Grant's sotto voce remark as she
left the room:

"No wonder the house is like a King's house, when
the mistress is a Princess!"

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"A Princess!" That was it. The idea seemed to
satisfy my mind, and to bring back in a wave of light
the first moment when she swept across my vision at
the ball in Belgrave Square. A queenly figure! Tall
and slim, bending, swaying, undulating as the lily or
the lotos. Clad in a flowing gown of some filmy black
material shot with gold. Por ornament in her hair she
wore an old Egyptian jewel, a tiny crystal disc, set
between rising plumes carved in lapis lazuli. On her
wrist was a broad bangle or bracelet of antique work,
in the shape of a pair of spreading wings wrought in
gold, with the feathers made of colored gems. For
all her gracious bearing toward me, when our hostess
introduced me, I was then afraid of her. It was only
when later, at the picnic on the .river, I had come to
realise her sweet and gentle nature, that my awe
changed to something else.

For a while she sat, making some notes or memoranda.
Then putting them away, she sent for the faithful
servants. I thought that she had better have this
interview alone, and so left her. When I came back
there were traces of tears in her eyes.

The next phase in which I had a part was even more
disturbing, and infinitely more painful. Late in the
afternoon Sergeant Daw came into the study where I
was sitting. After closing the door carefully and look-
ing all round the room to make certain that we were
alone, he came close to me.

"What is it?" I asked him. "I see you wish to speak
to me privately."

" Quite so, sir! May I speak in absolute confidence?"

"Of course you may. In anything that is for the
good of Miss Trelawny — and of course of Mr. Trelawny
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— you may be perfectly frank. I take it that we both
want to serve them to the best of our powers." He
hesitated before replying:

" Of course you know that I have my duty to do ; and
I think you know me well enough to know that I will do
it. I am a policeman — a detective; and it is my duty
to find out the facts of any case I am put on, without
fear or favor to any one. I would rather speak to you
alone, in confidence if I may, without reference to any
duty of any one to any one, except mine to Scotland
Yard."

"Of course! of course!" I answered mechanically, my
heart sinking, I did not know why. "Be quite frank
with me. I assure you of my confidence."

"Thank you, sir. I take it that what I say is not
to pass beyond you — not to any one. Not to Miss
Trelawny herself, or even to Mr. Trelawny when he be-
comes well again."

"Certainly, if you make it a condition!" I said a
little more stiffly. The man recognised the change
in my voice or manner, and said apologetically:

"Excuse me, sir, but I am going outside my duty in
speaking to you at all on the subject. I know you,
however, of old; and I feel that I can trust you. Not
your word, sir, that is all right; but your discretion!"

I bowed. "Go on!" I said. He began at once:

"I have gone over this case, sir, till my brain begins
to reel; but I can't find any ordinary solution of it.
At the time of each attempt no one has seemingly come
into the house; and certainly no one has gone out.
What does it strike you is the inference?"

"That the somebody — or the something — was in the
house already," I answered, smiling in spite of myself.
7S

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"That's just what I think," he said, with a manifest
sigh of relief. "Very well! "Who can be that some
one?"

'"Some one, or some thing,' was what I said," I
answered.

"Let us make it 'some one,' Mr. Ross! That cat,
though he might have scratched or bit, never pulled
the old gentleman out of bed, and tried to get the bangle
with the key off his arm. Such things are all very well
in books where your amateur detectives, who know
everything before it's done, can fit them into theories;
but in Scotland Yard, where the men aren't all idiots
either, we generally find that when crime is done, or
attempted, it's people, not things, that are at the
bottom of it."

"Then make it 'people' by all means, Sergeant."

"We were speaking of 'some one,' sir."

"Quite right. Some one, be it!"

"Did it ever strike you, sir, that on each of the three
separate occasions where outrage was effected, or at-
tempted, there was one person who was the first to be
present to give the alarm?"

"Let me see! Miss Trelawny, I believe, gave the
alarm on the first occasion. I was present myself, if
fast asleep, on the second; and so was Nurse Kennedy.
When I woke there were several people in the room;
you were one of them. I understand that on that occa-
sion also Miss Trelawny was before you. At the last
attempt I was in the room when Miss Trelawny fainted.
I carried her out and went back. In returning, I was
first; and I think you were close behind me."

Sergeant Daw thought for a moment before replying:

"She was present, or first, in the room on all the oc-
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casions; there was only damage done in the first and
second!"

The inference was one which I, as a lawyer, could not
mistake. I thought the best thing to do was to meet
it half way. I have always found that the best way
to encounter an inference is to cause it to be turned into
a statement.

"You mean," I said, "that as on the only occasions
when actual harm was done, Miss Trelawny's being the
first to discover it is a proof that she did it ; or was in
some way connected with the attempt, as well as the
discovery?"

"I didn't venture to put it as clear as that; but that
is where the doubt which I had leads." Sergeant Daw
was a man of courage ; he evidently did not shrink from
any conclusion of his reasoning on facts.

We were both silent for a while. Fears began crowd-
ing in on my own mind. Not doubts of Miss Trelawny,
or of any act of hei's ; but fears lest such acts should be
misunderstood. There was evidently a mystery some-
where; and if no solution to it could be found, the doubt
would be cast on some one. In such cases the guesses
of the majority are bound to follow the line of least
resistance; and if it could be proved that any personal
gain to any one would follow Mr. Trelawny's death,
should such ensue, it might prove a difficult task for
that person to prove innocence in the face of suspicious
facts. I found myself instinctively taking that defer-
ential course which, until the plan of battle of the prose-
cution is unfolded, is so safe an attitude for the defence.
It would never do for me, at this stage, to combat any
theories which a detective might form. I could best
help Miss Trelawny bv listening and understanding.
So

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When the time should come for the dissipation and
obliteration of the theories, I should be quite willing
to use all my militant ardor, and all the weapons at my
command.

"You will of course do your duty, I know," I said,
"and without fear. What course do you intend to
take?"

"I don't know as yet, sir. You see, up to now it isn't
with me even a suspicion. If any one else told me that
that sweet young lady had a hand in such a matter, I
would think him a fool; but I'm bound to follow my
own conclusions. I know well that just as unlikely
persons have been proved guilty, when a whole court
— all except the prosecution who knew the facts, and the
judge who had taught his mind to wait — would have
sworn to innocence. I wouldn't, for all the world,
wrong such a young lady; more especial when she has
such a cruel weight to bear. And you may be sure
that I won't say a word that '11 prompt any one else to
make such a charge. That's why I speak to you now
in confidence, man to man. You are skilled in proofs;
that is your profession. Mine only gets so far as
suspicions, and what we call our own proofs — which
are nothing but ex parte evidence after all. You know
Miss Trelawny better than I do; and though I watch
round the sick - room, and go where I like about the
house and in and out of it, I haven't the same op-
portunities as you have of knowing the lady and what
her life is, or her means are; or of anything else which
might give me a clue to her actions. If I were to try to
find out from her, it would at once arouse her suspicions.
Then, if she were guilty, all possibility of ultimate proof
would go ; for she would easily find a way to baffle dis-
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covery. But if she be innocent, as I hope she is, it
would be doing a cruel wrong to accuse her. I have
thought the matter over according to my lights before
I spoke to you; and if I have taken a liberty, sir, I am
truly sorry."

"No liberty in the world, Daw," I said, warmly, for
the man's courage and honesty and consideration com-
pelled respect. "I am glad you have spoken to me so
frankly. "We both want to find out the truth; and
there is so much about this case that is strange — so
strange as to go beyond all experiences — that to aim
at truth is our only chance of making anything clear
in the long-run — no matter what our views are, or what
object we wish to achieve ultimately!" The Sergeant
looked pleased as he went on:

"I thought, therefore, that if you had it once in your
mind that somebody else held to such a possibility, you
would by degrees get proof ; or at any rate such ideas
as would convince yourself, either for or against it. Then
we would come to some conclusion; or at any rate we
should so exhaust all other possibilities that the most
likely one would remain as the nearest thing to proof,
or strong suspicion, that we could get. After that we
should have to "

Just at this moment the door opened and Miss Tre-
lawny entered the room. The moment she saw us she
drew back quickly, saying:

"Oh, I beg pardon! I did not know you were here,
and engaged." By the time I had stood up, she was
about to go back.

"Do come in," I said; "Sergeant Daw and I were only
talking matters over."

Whilst she was hesitating, Mrs. Grant appeared, say-

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

ing as she entered the room.: "Doctor Winchester is
come, miss, and is asking for you."

I obeyed Miss Trelawny's look; together we left the
room.

When the Doctor had made his examination, he told
us that there was seemingly no change. He added that
nevertheless he would like to stay in the house that
night if he might. Miss Trelawny looked glad, and sent
word to Mrs. Grant to get a room ready for him. Later
in the day, when he and I happened to be alone together,
he said suddenly:

"I have arranged to stay here to-night because I want
to have a talk with you. And as I wish it to be quite
private, I thought the least suspicious way would be
to have a cigar together late in the evening, when Miss
Trelawny is watching her father." We still kept to our
arrangement that either the sick man's daughter or I
should be on watch all night. We were to share the
duty at the early hours of the morning. I was anxious
about this, for I knew from our conversation that the
Detective would watch in secret himself, and would
be particularly alert about that time.

The day passed uneventfully. Miss Trelawny slept
in the afternoon; and after dinner went to relieve the
Nurse. Mrs. Grant remained with her, Sergeant Daw
being on duty in the corridor. Doctor Winchester and
I took our coffee in the library. When we had lit our
cigars he said quietly:

" Now that we are alone I want to have a confidential
talk. We are 'tiled,' of course; for the present at all
events?"

"Quite so!" I said, my heart sinking as I thought of
my conversation with Sergeant Daw in the morning, and
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of the disturbing and harrowing fears which it had left
in my mind. He went on:

"This case is enough to try the sanity of all of us
concerned in it. The more I think of it, the madder
I seem to get; and the two lines, each continually
strengthened, seem to pull harder in opposite directions."

"What two lines?" He looked at me keenly for a
moment before replying. Doctor Winchester's look at
such moments was apt to be disconcerting. It would
have been, so to me had I had a personal part, other
than my interest in Miss Trelawny, in the matter. As
it was, however, I stood it unruffled. I was now an
attorney in the case; an amicus curies in one sense, in
another retained for the defence. The mere thought
that in this clever man's mind were two lines, equally
strong and opposite, was in itself so consoling as to neu-
tralise my anxiety as to a new attack. The Doctor's face,
as he began to speak, wore an inscrutable smile; this,
however, gave place to a stern gravity as he proceeded :

"Two lines: Fact and — Fancy! In the first there is
this whole thing: attacks; attempts at robbery and
murder; stupefyings; organised catalepsy, which points
to either criminal hypnotism and thought suggestion,
or some simple form of poisoning unclassified yet in our
toxicology. In the other there is some influence at
work which is not classified in any book that I know-
outside the pages of romance. I never felt in my life so
strongly the truth of Hamlet's words:

"There are more things in Heaven and earth
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

"Let us take the 'Fact' side first. Here we have a
man in his home; amidst his own household; plenty of

The Jetoel of Seoen Sfcars

servants of different classes in the house, which forbids
the possibility of an organised attempt made from the
servants' hall. He is wealthy, learned, clever. From
his physiognomy there is no doubting that he is a man
of iron will and determined purpose. His daughter—
his only child, I take it, a young girl bright and clever —
is sleeping in the very next room to his. There is seem-
ingly no possible reason for expecting any attack or
disturbance of any kind; and no reasonable opportunity
for any outsider to effect it. And yet we have an
attack made; a brutal and remorseless attack, made in
the middle of the night. Discovery is made quickly;
made with that rapidity which in criminal cases general-
ly is found to be not accidental, but of premeditated
intent. The attacker, or attackers, are manifestly dis-
turbed before the completion of their work, whatever
their ultimate intent may have been. And yet there is
no possible sign of their escape ; no clue, no disturbance
of anything ; no open door or window ; no sound. Noth-
ing whatever to show who had done the deed, or even
that a deed has been done; except the victim, and his
surroundings incidental to the deed!

"The next night a similar attempt is made, though
the house is full of wakeful people ; and though there are
on watch in the room and around it a detective officer,
a trained nurse, an earnest friend, and the man's own
daughter. The nurse is thrown into a catalepsy, and
the watching friend— though protected by a respirator —
into a deep sleep. Even the Detective is so far over-
come with some phase of stupor that he fires off his
pistol in the sick-room, and can't even tell what he
thought he was firing at. That respirator of yours is the
only thing that seems to have a bearing on the 'fact'

The Jewel of Secen Stars

side of the affair. That you did not lose your head as
the others did — the effect in such case being in proportion
to the amount of time each remained in the room —
points to the probability that the stupefying medium
was not hypnotic, whatever else it may have been.
But again, there is a fact which is contradictory. Miss
Trelawny, who was in the room more than any of you —
for she was in and out all the time and did her share
of permanent watching also— did not seem to be affected
at all. This would show that the influence, whatever it
is, does not affect generally — unless, of course, it was
that she was in some way inured to it. If it should turn
out that it be some strange exhalation from some of
those Egyptian curios, that might account for it. But
we are then face to face with the fact that Mr. Trelawny,
who was most of all in the room — who, in fact, lived
more than half his life in it — was affected worst of all.
What kind of influence could it be which would account
for all these different and contradictory effects? No!
the more I think of this form of the dilemma, the more
I am bewildered! "Why, even if it were that the attack,
the physical attack, on Mr. Trelawny had been made
by some one residing in the house and not within the
sphere of suspicion, the oddness of the stupefyings would
still remain a mystery. It is not easy to put any one
into a catalepsy. Indeed, so far as is known yet in
science, there is no way to achieve such an object at will.
The crux of the whole matter is Miss Trelawny, who
seems to be subject to none of the influences, or possibly
of the variants of the same influence, at work. Through
all she goes unscathed, except for that one slight semi-
faint. It is most strange!"

I listened with a sinking heart; for, though his manner
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The Jewel of Seoen Stars

was not illuminative of distrust, his argument was
disturbing. Although it was not so direct as the
suspicion of the Detective, it seemed to single out Miss
Trelawny as different from all others concerned ; and in
a mystery to be alone is to be suspected, ultimately if
not immediately. I thought it better not to say any-
thing. In such a case silence is indeed golden, and if I
said nothing now I might have less to defend, or explain,
or take back later. I was, therefore, secretly glad that
his form of putting his argument did not require any
answer from me — for the present, at all events. Doctor
Winchester did not seem to expect any answer — a fact
which, when I recognised it, gave me pleasure, I hardly
knew why. He paused for a while, sitting with his chin
in his hand, his eyes staring at vacancy, whilst his brows
were fixed. His cigar was held limp beween his fingers;
he had apparently forgotten it. In an even voice, as
though commencing exactly where he had left off, he
resumed his argument :

"The other horn of the dilemma is a different affair
altogether; and if we once enter on it we must leave
everything in the shape of science and experience behind
us. I confess that it has its fascinations for me; though
at every new thought I find myself romancing in a way
that makes me pull up suddenly and look facts resolutely
in the face. I sometimes wonder whether the influence
or emanation from the sick - room at times affects me
as it did the others — the Detective, for instance. Of
course it may be that if it is anything chemical, any
drug, for example, in vaporous form, its effects may be
cumulative. But then, what could there be that could
produce such an effect? The room is, I know, full of
mummy smell; and no wonder, with so many relics

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from the tomb, let alone the actual mummy of that
animal which Silvio attacked. By the way, I am going
to test him to-morrow; I have been on the trace of a
mummy cat, and am to get possession of it in the
morning. When I bring it here we shall find out if it
be a fact that racial instinct can survive a few thousand
years in the grave. However, to get back to the subject
in hand. These very mummy smells arise from the
presence of substances, and combinations of substances,
which the Egyptian priests, who were the learned men
and scientists of their time, found by the experience
of centuries to be strong enough to arrest the natural
forces of decay. There must be powerful agencies at
work to effect such a purpose ; and it is possible that we
may have here some rare substance or combination
whose qualities and powers are not understood in this
later and more prosaic age. I wonder if Mr. Trelawny
has any knowledge, or even suspicion, of such a kind?
I only know this for certain, that a worse atmosphere
for a sick-chamber could not possibly be imagined; and
I admire the courage of Sir James Frere in refusing to
have anything to do with a case under such conditions.
These instructions of Mr. Trelawny to his daughter, and
from what you have told me, the care with which he
has protected his wishes through his solicitor, show that,
at any rate, he suspected something. Indeed, it would
almost seem as if he expected something to happen. . . .
I wonder if it would be possible to learn anything about
that! Surely his papers would show or suggest some-
thing. ... It is a difficult matter to tackle; but it might
have to be done. His present condition cannot go on
for ever; and if anything should happen there would
have to be an inquest. In such case full examination

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

would have to be made into everything. ... As it stands,
the police evidence would show a murderous attack
more than once repeated. As no clue is apparent, it
would be necessary to seek one in a motive."

He was silent. The last words seemed to come in a
lower and lower tone as he went on. It had the effect
of hopelessness. It came to me as a conviction that
now was my time to find out if he had any definite
suspicion; and as if in obedience to some command, I
asked :

"Do you suspect any one?" He seemed in a way
startled rather than surprised as he turned his eyes on
me:

"Suspect any one? Any thing, you mean. I cer-
tainly suspect that there is some influence; but at
present my suspicion is held within such limit. Later
on, if there be any sufficiently definite conclusion to
my reasoning, or my thinking — for there are not proper
data for reasoning — I may suspect; at present, how-
ever "

He stopped suddenly and looked at the door. There
was a faint sound as the handle turned. My own
heart seemed to stand still. There was over me some
grim, vague apprehension. The interruption in the
morning, when I was talking with the Detective, came
back upon me with a rush.

The door opened, and Miss Trelawny entered the room.

When she saw us, she started back; and a deep flush
swept her face. For a few seconds she paused; at such
a time a few succeeding seconds seem to lengthen in
geometrical progression. The strain aipon me, and, as
I could easily see, on the Doctor also, relaxed as she
spoke:

S9

The Jewel of Seuen Stars

"Oh, forgive me. I did not know that you were
engaged. I was looking for you, Doctor Winchester, to
ask you if I might go to bed to-night with safety, as
you will be here. I feel so tired and worn out that I fear
I may break down; and to-night I would certainly not
be of any use." Doctor Winchester answered heartily:

"Do! Do go to bed by all means, and get a good
night's sleep. God knows! you want it. I am more
than glad you have made the suggestion, for I feared
when I saw you to-night that I might have you on my
hands as a patient next."

She gave a sigh of relief, and the tired look seemed
to melt from her face. Never shall I forget the deep,
earnest look in her great, beautiful black eyes as she
said to me:

"You will guard Father to-night, won't you, with Doc-
tor Winchester? I am so anxious about him that every
second brings new fears. But I am really worn out;
and if I don't get a good sleep, I think I shall go mad.
I will change my room for to-night. I'm afraid that
if I stay so close to Father's room I shall multiply every
sound into a new terror. But, of course, you will have
me waked if there be any cause. I shall be in the bed-
room of the little suite next the boudoir off the hall. I
had those rooms when first I came to live with Father,
and I had no care then. ... It will be easier to rest
there; and perhaps for a few hours I may forget. I
shall be all right in the morning. Good-night!"

When I had closed the door behind her and come back
to the little table at which we had been sitting, Doctor
Winchester said:

"That poor girl is overwrought to a terrible degree.
I am delighted that she is to get a rest. It will be life

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to her; and in the morning she will be all right. Her
nervous system is on the verge of a breakdown. Did
you notice how fearfully disturbed she was, and how red
she got when she came in and found us talking? An
ordinary thing like that, in her own house with her own
guests, wouldn't under normal circumstances disturb
her!"

I was about to tell him, as an explanation in her de-
fence, how her entrance was a repetition of her finding
the Detective and myself alone together earlier in the
day, when I remembered that that conversation was so
private that even an allusion to it might be awkward
in evoking curiosity. So I remained silent.

We stood up to go to the sick-room; but as we took
our way through the dimly lighted corridor I could not
help thinking, again, and again, and again— ay, and for
many a day after— how strange it was that she had
interrupted me on two occasions when touching on such
a theme.

There was certainly some strange web of accidents,
in whose meshes we were all involved.

The Traceller's Loss

THAT night everything went well. Knowing that
Miss Trelawny herself was not on guard, Doctor "Win-
chester and I doubled our vigilance. The Nurses and
Mrs. Grant kept watch, and the Detectives made their
visit each quarter of an hour. All night the patient re-
mained in his trance. He looked healthy, and his chest
rose and fell with the easy breathing of a child. But
he never stirred ; only for his breathing he might have
been of marble. Doctor Winchester and I wore our
respirators, and irksome they were on that intolerably
hot night. Between midnight and three o'clock I felt
anxious, and had once more that creepy feeling to
which these last few nights had accustomed me ; but the
grey of the dawn, stealing round the edges of the blinds,
came with inexpressible relief. In the cool, hopeful
darkness, with the east quickening into pallor, I could
breathe freely ; the same relief, followed by restf ulness-,
went through the household. During the hot night my
ears, strained to every sound, had been almost painfully
troubled, as though my brain or sensoria were in anxious
touch with them. Every breath of the Nurse or the
rustle of her dress ; every soft pat of slippered feet, as the
Policeman went his rounds ; every moment of watching
life, seemed to be a new impetus to guardianship.
Something of the same feeling must have been abroad

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in the house; now and again I could hear upstairs the
sound of restless feet, and more than once downstairs
the opening of a window. With the coming of the dawn,
however, all this ceased, and the whole household
seemed to rest. Doctor Winchester went home when
Sister Doris came to relieve Mrs. Grant. He was, I think,
a little disappointed or chagrined that nothing of an ex-
ceptional nature had happened during his long night vigil.

At eight o'clock Miss Trelawny joined us, and I was
amazed as well as delighted to see how much good her
night's sleep had done her. She was fairly radiant;
just as I had seen her at our first meeting and at the
picnic. There was even a suggestion of color in her
cheeks, which, however, looked startingly white in con-
trast with her black brows and scarlet lips. With her
restored strength , there seemed to have come a tender-
ness even exceeding that which she had at first shown
to her sick father. I could not but be moved by the
loving touches as she fixed his pillows and brushed the
hair from his forehead.

I was wearied out myself with my long spell of
watching; and now that she was on guard I started off
to bed, blinking my tired, eyes in the full light and
feeling the weariness of a sleepless night on me all at
once.

I had a good sleep, and after lunch I was about to start
out to walk to Jermyn Street, when I noticed an im-
portunate man at the hall door. The servant in charge
was the one called Morris, formerly the "odd man," but
since the exodus of the servants promoted to be butler
pro tern. The stranger was speaking rather loudly, so
that there was no difficulty in understanding his griev-
ance. The servant man was respectful in both words
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and demeanor; but he stood squarely in front of the
great double door, so that the other could not enter.
The first words which I heard from the visitor suffi-
ciently explained the situation:

"That's all very well, but I tell you I must see Mr.
Trelawny! What is the use of your saying I can't,
when I tell you I must. You put me off, and off, and
off! I came here at nine; you said then that he was
not up, and that as he was not well he could not be
disturbed. I came at twelve ; and you told me again he
was not up. I asked then to see any of his household;
you told me that Miss Trelawny was not up. Now I
come again at three, and you tell me he is still in bed,
and is not awake yet. Where is Miss Trelawny? 'She
is occupied and must not be disturbed!' Well, she
must be disturbed! Or some one must. I am here
about Mr. Trelawny's special business; and I have come
from a place where servants always begin by saying
No. 'No' isn't good enough for me this time! I've
had three years of it, waiting outside doors and tents
when it took longer to get in than it did into the
tombs; and then you would think, too, the men inside
were as dead as the mummies. I've had about enough
of it, I tell you. And when I come home, and find the
door of the man I've been working for barred, in just
the same way and with the same old answers, it stirs
me up the wrong way. Did Mr. Trelawny leave orders
that he would not see me when I should come?"

He paused and excitedly mopped his forehead. The
servant answered very respectfully:

" I am very sorry, sir, if in doing my duty I have given
any offence. But I have my orders, and must obey them.
If you would like to leave any message, I will give it to
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Miss Trelawny; and if you will leave your address, she
can communicate with you if she wishes." The answer
came in such a way that it was easy to see that the
speaker was a kind-hearted man, and a just one.

" My good fellow, I have no fault to find with you
personally; and I am sorry if I have hurt your feelings.
I must be just, even if I am angry. But it is enough
to anger any man to find himself in the position I am.
Time is pressing. There is not an hour — not a minute
— to lose! And yet here I am, kicking my heels for six
hours ; knowing all the time that your master will be a
hundred times angrier than I am, when he hears how
the time has been fooled away. He would rather be
waked out of a thousand sleeps than not see me just
at present— and before it is too late. My God! it's
simply dreadful, after all I've gone through, to have my
work spoiled at the last and be foiled in the very door-
way by a stupid flunky! Is there no one with sense in
the house; or with authority, even if he hasn't got
sense? I could mighty soon convince him that your
master must be awakened; even if he sleeps like the
Seven Sleepers "

There was no mistaking the man's sincerity, or the
urgency and importance of his business ; from his point
of view at any rate. I stepped forward.

"Morris," I said, "you had better tell Miss Trelawny
that this gentleman wants to see her particularly. If
she is busy, ask Mrs: Grant to tell her!"

"Very good, sir!" he answered in a tone of relief,
and hurried away.

I took the stranger into the little boudoir across the
hall. As we went he asked me:

"Are you the secretary?"
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"No! I am a friend of Miss Trelawny's. My name
is Ross."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Ross, for your kindness!'
he said. " My name is Corbeck. I would give you my
card; but they don't use cards where I've come from.
And if I had had any, I suppose they, too, would have
gone last night "

He stopped suddenly, as though conscious that he
had said too much. We both remained silent; as we
waited I took stock of him. A short, sturdy man,
brown as a coffee-berry; possibly inclined to be fat, but
now lean exceedingly. The deep wrinkles in his face
and neck were not merely from time and exposure;
there were those unmistakable signs where flesh or fat
has fallen away, and the skin has become loose. The
neck was simply an intricate surface of seams and
wrinkles, and was sun-scarred with the burning of the
Desert. The Far East, the Tropic Season, and the
Desert— each can leave its color mark. But all three
are quite different; and an eye which has once known,
can thenceforth easily distinguish them. The dusky
pallor of one; the fierce red-brown of the other; and of
the third, the dark, ingrained burning, as though it had
become a permanent color. Mr. Corbeck had a big
head, massive and full; with shaggy, dark red-brown
hair, but bald on the temples. His forehead was a
fine one, high and broad; with, to use the terms of
physiognomy, the frontal sinus boldly marked. The
squareness of it showed "ratiocination;" and the fulness
under the eyes "language." He had the short, broad
nose that marks energy; the square chin— discernible
despite the thick, unkempt beard— and the massive jaw
that shows great resolution.
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"No bad man for the desert!" I thought as I looked.

Miss Trelawny came very quickly. When Mr. Cor-
beck saw her, he seemed somewhat surprised. But his
annoyance and excitement had not disappeared; quite
enough remained to cover up any such secondary and
purely exoteric feeling as surprise. But as she spoke
he never took his eyes off her ; and I made a mental note
that I would find some early opportunity of investigating
the cause of his surprise. She began with an apology
which quite smoothed down his ruffled feelings:

"Of course, had my Father been well you would not
have been kept waiting. Indeed, had not I been on
duty in the sick-room when you called the first time, I
should have seen you at once. Now will you kindly
tell me what is the matter which so presses?" He
looked at me and hesitated. She spoke at once:

"You may say before Mr. Ross anything which you
can tell me. He has my fullest confidence, and is
helping me in my trouble. I do not think you quite
understand how serious my Father's condition is. For
three days he has not waked, or given any sign of
consciousness, and I am in terrible trouble about him.
Unhappily I am in great ignorance of my Father and his
life. I only came to live with him a year ago; and I
know nothing whatever of his affairs. I do not even
know who you are, or in what way your business is
associated with him." She said this with a little dep-
precating smile, all conventional and altogether grace-
ful; as though to express in the most genuine way her
absurd ignorance.

He looked steadily at her for perhaps a quarter of a
minute; then he spoke, beginning at once as though his
mind were made up and his confidence established:
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"My name is Eugene Corbeck. I am a Master of
Arts and Doctor of Laws and Master of Surgery of
Cambridge; Doctor of Letters of Oxford; Doctor of
Science and Doctor of Languages of London University;
Doctor of Philosophy of Berlin; Doctor of Oriental
Languages of Paris. I have some other degrees,
honorary and otherwise, but I need not trouble you with
them. Those I have named will show you that I am
sufficiently feathered with diplomas to fly into even a
sick-room. Early in life — fortunately for my interests
and pleasures, but unfortunately for my pocket — I fell
in with Egyptology. I must have been bitten by some
powerful scarab, for I took it bad. I went out tomb-
hunting; and managed to get a living of a sort, and to
learn some things that you can't get out of books. I
was in pretty low water when I met your Father, who
was doing some explorations on his own account ; and
since then I haven't found that I have many unsatisfied
wants. He is a real patron of the arts; no mad
Egyptologist can ever hope for a better chief!"

He spoke with feeling; and T was glad to see that Miss
Trelawny colored up with pleasure at the praise of her
father. I could not help noticing, however, that Mr.
Corbeck was talking as if against time. I took it that
he wished, while speaking, to study his ground; to see
how far he would be justified in making confidence with
the two strangers before him. As he went on, I could
see that his confidence kept increasing. When I thought
of it afterward, and remembered what he had said, I
realised that the measure of the information which he
gave us marked his growing trust.

"I have been several times out on expeditions in
Egvpt for your Father; and I have always found it a

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delight to work for him. Many of his treasures — and
he has some rare ones, I tell you — he has procured
through me, either by ray exploration or by purchase —
or — or — otherwise. Your Father, Miss Trelawny, has
a rare knowledge. He sometimes makes up his mind
that he wants to find a particular thing, of whose
existence— if it still exists — he has become aware; and
he will follow it all over the world till he gets it. I've
been on just such a chase now."

He stopped suddenly, as suddenly as though his mouth
had been shut by the jerk of a string. We waited;
when he went on he spoke with a caution that was new
to him, as though he wished to forestall our asking any
questions :

" I am not at liberty to mention anything of my mis-
sion; where it was to, what it was for, or anything at
all about it. Such matters are in confidence between
Mr. Trelawny and myself; I am constructively pledged
to secrecy."

He paused, and an embarrassed look crept over his
face. Suddenly he said:

"You are sure, Miss Trelawny, your Father is not
well enough to see me to-day?"

A look of wonderment was on her face in turn. But
it cleared at once; — she stood up, saying in a tone in
which dignity and graciousness were blended:

"Come and see for yourself!" She moved towards
her father's room; he followed, and I brought up the
rear.

Mr. Corbeck entered the sick-room as though he knew
it. There is an unconscious attitude or bearing to per-
sons in new surroundings which there is no mistaking.
Even in his anxiety to see his powerful friend, he glanced
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for a moment round the room, as at a familiar place.
Then all his attention became fixed on the bed. I
watched him narrowly, for somehow I felt that on this
man depended much of our enlightenment regarding
the strange matter in which we were involved.

It was not that I doubted him. The man was of
transparent honesty ; it was this very quality which we
had to dread. He was of that courageous, fixed true-
ness to his undertaking, that if he should deem it his
duty to guard a secret he would do it to the last. The
case before us was, at least, an unusual one; and it
would, consequently, require more liberal recognition of
bounds of the duty of secrecy than would hold under
ordinary conditions. To us, ignorance was helplessness.
If we could learn anything of the past we might at least
form some idea of the conditions antecedent to the at-
tack; and might, so, achieve some means of helping the
patient to recovery. There were curios which might
be removed. . . . My thoughts were beginning to whirl
once again; I pulled myself up sharply and watched.
There was a look of infinite pity on the sun-stained,
rugged face as the traveller gazed at his friend, lying
so helpless. The sternness of Mr. Trelawny's face had
not relaxed in sleep; but somehow it made the helpless-
ness more marked. It would not have troubled one to
see a weak or an ordinary face under such conditions;
but this purposeful, masterful man, lying before us
wrapped in impenetrable sleep, had all the pathos of a
great ruin. The sight was not a new one to us; but I
could see that Miss Trelawny, like myself, was moved
afresh by it in the presence of the stranger. Mr. Cor-
beck's face grew stern. All the pity died away; and in
its stead came a grim, hard look which boded ill for

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whoever had been the cause of this mighty downfall.
This look in turn gave place to one of decision; the
volcanic energy of the man, was working to some defi-
nite purpose. He glanced around at us; and as his
eyes lighted on Nurse Kennedy his eyebrows went up a
trifle. She noted the look, and glanced interrogatively
at Miss Trelawny, who flashed back a reply with a
glance. She went quietly from the room, closing the
door behind her. Mr. Corbeck looked first at me, with a
strong man's natural impulse to learn from a man rath-
er than a woman ; then at Miss Trelawny, with a remem-
brance of the duty of courtesy, and said:

"Tell me all about it. How it began and when!"
Miss Trelawny looked at me appealingly; and forth-
with I told him all that I knew. He seemed to make
no motion during the whole time; but insensibly the
bronze face became steel. When, at the end, I told
him of Mr. Marvin's visit and of the Power of Attorney,
his look began to brighten. And when, seeing his interest
in the matter, I went more into detail as to its terms,
he spoke:

"Good! Now I know where my duty lies!"

With a sinking heart I heard him. Such a phrase,
coming at such a time, seemed to close the door to my
hopes of enlightenment.

"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling that my ques-
tion was a feeble one.

His answer emphasised my fears:

"Trelawny knows what he is doing. He had some
definite purpose in all that he did; and we must not
thwart him. He evidently expected something to hap-
pen, and guarded himself at all points."

"Not at all points!" I said impulsively. "There

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must have been a weak spot somewhere, or he wouldn't
be lying there like that!" Somehow his impassiveness
surprised me. I had expected that he would find a valid
argument in my phrase; but it did not move him, at
least not in the way I thought. Something like a smile
flickered over his swarthy face as he answered me:

"This is not the end. Trelawny did not guard him-
self to no purpose. Doubtless, he expected this too; or
at any rate the possibility of it."

"Do you know what he expected, or from what
source?" The questioner was Miss Trelawny.

The answer came at once: "No! I know nothing of
either. I can guess . . ." He stopped suddenly.

"Guess what?" The suppressed excitement in the
girl's voice was akin to anguish. The steely look came
over the swarthy face again ; but there was tenderness
and courtesy in both voice and manner as he replied:

" Believe me, I would do anything I honestly could to
relieve your anxiety. But in this I have a higher duty."

"What duty?"

"Silence!" As he spoke the word, the strong mouth
closed like a steel trap.

We all remained silent for a few minutes. In the
intensity of our thinking, the silence became a positive
thing; the small sounds of life within and without the
house seemed intrusive. The first to break it was Miss
Trelawny. I had seen an idea — a hope — flash in her
eyes; but she steadied herself before speaking:

"What was the urgent subject on which you wanted
to see me, knowing that my Father was — not available?"
The pause showed her mastery of her thoughts.

The instantaneous change in Mr. Corbeck was almost
ludicrous. His start of surprise, coming close upon his

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iron-clad irapassiveness, was like a pantomimic change.
But all idea of comedy was swept away by the tragic
earnestness with which he remembered his original pur-
pose.

"My God!" he said, as he raised his hand from the
chair back on which it rested, and beat it down with a
violence which would in itself have arrested attention.
His brows corrugated as he went on: "I quite forgot!
What a loss ! Now of all times ! Just at the moment of
success! He lying there helpless, and my tongue tied!
Not able to raise hand or foot in my ignorance of his
wishes!"

"What is it? Oh, do tell us! I am so anxious about
my dear Father! Is it any new trouble? I hope not!
oh, I hope not! I have had such anxiety and trouble
already! It alarms me afresh to hear you speak so.
Won't you tell me something to allay this terrible
anxiety and uncertainty?"

He drew his sturdy form up to his full height as he
said :

"Alas! I cannot, may not, tell you anything. It is
his secret." He pointed to the bed. "And yet — and
yet I came here for his advice, his counsel, his assistance.
And he lies there helpless. . . . And time is flying by us!
It may soon be too late!"

"What is it? what is it?" broke in Miss Trelawny
in a sort of passion of anxiety, her face drawn with pain.
"Oh, speak! Say something! This anxiety, and horror,
and mystery are 'killing me!" Mr. Corbeck calmed him-
self by a great effort.

"I may not tell you details; but I have had a great
loss. My mission, in which I have spent three years,
was successful. I discovered all that I sought — and
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more; and brought them home with me safely. Treas-
ures, priceless in themselves, but doubly precious to
him by whose wishes and instructions I sought them.
I arrived in London only last night ; and when I woke
this morning my precious charge was stolen. Stolen
in some mysterious way. Not a soul in London knew
that I was arriving. No one but myself knew what was
in the shabby portmanteau that I carried. My room
had but one door, and that I locked and bolted. The
room was high in the house, five stories up, so that no
entrance could have been obtained by the window.
Indeed, I had closed the window myself and shut the
hasp, for I wished to be secure in every way. This
morning the hasp was untouched. . . . And yet my
portmanteau was empty. The lamps were gone! . . .
There! it is out. I went to Egypt to search for a set of
antique lamps which Mr. Trelawny wished to trace.
With incredible labor, and through many dangers, I
followed them. I brought them safe home. ... And
now . . . !" He turned away much moved. Even his
iron nature was breaking down under the sense of
loss.

Miss Trelawny stepped over and laid her hand on his
arm. I looked at her in amazement. All the passion
and pain which had so moved her seemed to have taken
the form of resolution. Her form was erect, her eyes
blazed; energy was manifest in every nerve and fibre
of her being. Even her voice was full of nervous power
as she spoke. It was apparent that she was a marvel-
lously strong woman, and that her strength could an-
swer when called upon.

"We must act at once. My Father's wishes must be
carried out, if it is possible to us. Mr. Ross, you are a
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lawyer. We have actually in the house a man whom
you consider one of the best detectives in London.
Surely we can do something. We can begin at once!"
Mr. Corbeck took new life from her enthusiasm,

"Good! You are your Father's daughter!" was all
he said. But his admiration for her energy was mani-
fested by the impulsive way in which he took her hand.
I moved over to the door. I was going to bring Sergeant
Daw; and from her look of approval, I knew that
Margaret — Miss Trelawny — understood. I was at the
door when Mr. Corbeck called me back.

"One moment," he said, "before we bring a stranger
on the scene. It must be borne in mind that he is not
to know what you know now, that the lamps were the
objects of a prolonged and difficult and dangerous
search. All I can tell him, all that he must know from
any source, is that some of my property has been stolen.
I must describe some of the lamps, especially one, for it
is of gold; and my fear is lest the thief, ignorant of its
historic worth, may, in order to cover up his crime, have
it melted. I would willingly pay ten, twenty, a hundred,
a thousand times its intrinsic value rather than have it
destroyed. I shall tell him only what is necessary.
So, please let me answer any questions he may ask; un-
less, of course, I ask you or refer to either of you for
the answer." We both nodded acquiescence. Then a
thought struck me and I said :

"By the way, if.it be necessary to keep this matter
quiet it will be better to have it if possible a private
job for the Detective. If once a thing gets to Scotland
Yard it is out of our power to keep it quiet, and further
secrecy may be impossible. I shall sound Sergeant
Daw before he comes up. If I say nothing, it will mean
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that he accepts the task and will deal with it privately."
Mr. Corbeck answered at once:

"Secrecy is everything. The one thing I dread is
that the lamps, or some of them, may be destroyed at
once." To my intense astonishment Miss Trelawny
spoke out at once, but quietly in a decided voice:

"They will not be destroyed; nor any of them!"
Mr. Corbeck actually smiled in amazement.

"How on earth do you know?" he asked. Her an-
swer was still more incomprehensible:

"I don't know how I know it; but know it I do. I
feel it all through me; as though it were a conviction
which has been with me all my life!"

The Finding oS the Lamps

SERGEANT DAW at first made some demur; but
finally agreed to advise privately on a matter which
might be suggested to him. He added that I was to
remember that he only undertook to advise ; for if action
were required he might have to refer the matter to
headquarters. With this understanding I left him in
the study, and brought Miss Trelawny and Mr. Corbeck
to him. Nurse Kennedy resumed her place at the bed-
side before we left the room.

I could not but admire the cautious, cool-headed pre-
cision with which the traveller stated his case. He did
not seem to conceal anything, and yet he gave the least
possible description of the objects missing. He did not
enlarge on the mystery of the case; he seemed to look
on it as an ordinary hotel theft. Knowing, as I did,
that his one object was to recover the articles before
their identity could be obliterated, I could see the rare
intellectual skill with which he gave the necessary matter
and held back all else, though without seeming to do so.
"Truly," thought I, ."this man has learned the lesson
of the Eastern bazaars; and with Western intellect has
improved upon his masters!" He quite conveyed his
idea to the Detective, who, after thinking the matter
over for a few moments, said:

"Pot or scale? that is the question!"
to?

The Jetoel of Secen Stars

"What does that mean?" asked the other, keenly
alert.

" An old thieves' phrase from Birmingham. I thought
that in these days of slang every one knew that. In
old times at Brum, which had a lot of small metal in-
dustries, the gold and silversmiths used to buy metal
from almost any one who came along. And as metal in
small quantities could generally be had cheap when
they didn't ask where it came from, it got to be a custom
to ask only one thing — whether the customer wanted
the goods melted, in which case the buyer made the
price, and the melting-pot was always on the fire. If
it was to be preserved in its present state at the buyer's
option, it went into the scale and fetched standard price
for old metal.

"There is a good deal of such work done still, and in
other places than Brum. When we're looking for stolen
watches we often come across the works, and it's not
possible to identify wheels and . springs out of a heap ; ■
but it's not often that we come across cases that are
wanted. Now, in the present instance much will de-
pend on whether the thief is a good man — that's what
they call a man who knows his work. A first-class crook
will know whether a thing is of more value than merely
the metal in it ; and in such case he would put it with
some one who could place it later on — in America or
France, perhaps. By the way, do you think any one
but yourself could identify your lamps?"

"No one but myself!"

"Are there others like them?"

" Not that I know of," answered Mr. Corbeck; "though
there may be others that resemble them in many par-
ticulars." The Detective paused before asking again;
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"Would any other skilled person — at the British Museum,
for instance, or a dealer, or a collector like Mr. Trelawny,
know the value— the artistic value — of the lamps?"

"Certainly! Any one with a head on his shoulders
would see at a glance that the things were valuable."

The Detective's face brightened. "Then there is a
chance. If your door was locked and the window shut,
the goods 'were not stolen by the chance of a chamber-
maid or a boots coming along. Whoever did the job
went after it special; and he ain't going to part with his
swag without his price. This must be a case of notice
to the pawnbrokers. There's one good thing about it,
anyhow, that the hue and cry needn't be given. We
needn't tell Scotland Yard unless you like; we can work
the thing privately. If you wish to keep the thing
dark, as you told me at the first, that is our chance."
Mr. Corbeck, after a pause, said quietly:

"I suppose you couldn't hazard a suggestion as to
how the robbery was effected?" The Policeman smiled
the smile of knowledge and experience.

"In a very simple way, I have no doubt, sir. That
is how all these mysterious crimes turn out in the long-
run. The criminal knows his work and all the tricks
of it; and he is always on the watch for chances. More-
over, he knows by experience what these chances are
likely to be, and how they usually come. The other
person is only careful; he doesn't know all the tricks
and pits that may.be made for him, and by some little
oversight or other he falls into the trap. When we know
all about this case, you will wonder that you did not see
the method of it all along!" This seemed to annoy Mr.
Corbeck a little; there was decided heat in his manner
as he answered :

109

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

"Look here, my good friend, there is not anything
simple about this case — except that the things were
taken. The window was closed; the fireplace was
bricked up. There is only one door to the room, and
that I locked and bolted. There is no transom; I have
heard all about hotel robberies through the transom. I
never left my room in the night. I looked at the things
before going to bed ; and I went to look at them again
when I woke up. If you can rig up any kind of simple
robbery out of these facts you are a clever man. That's
all I say; clever enough to go right away and get my
things back!" Miss Trelawny laid her hand upon his
arm in a soothing way, and said quietly:

"Do not distress yourself unnecessarily. I am sure
they will turn up." Sergeant Daw turned to her so
quickly that I could not help remembering vividly his
suspicions of her, already formed, as he said:

"May I ask, miss, on what you base that opinion?"

I dreaded to hear her answer, given to ears already
awake to suspicion; but it came to me as a new pain or
shock all the same :

"I cannot tell you how I know. But I am sure of it!"
The Detective looked at her for some seconds in silence,
and then threw a quick glance at me.

Presently he had a little more conversation with Mr.
Corbeck as to his own movements, the details of the
hotel and the room, and the means of identifying the
goods. Then he went away to commence his inquiries,
Mr. Corbeck impressing on him the necessity for secrecy
lest the thief should get wind of his danger and destroy
the lamps. Mr. Corbeck promised, when going away to
attend to various matters of his own business, to return
early in the evening, and to stay in the house.

The Jewel o£ Seuen Stars

All that day Miss Trelawny was in better spirits and
looked in better strength than she had yet been, despite
the new shock and annoyance of the theft, which must
ultimately bring so much disappointment to her father.

We spent most of the day looking over the curio
treasures of Mr. Trelawny. From what I had heard
from Mr. Corbeck I began to have some idea of the
vastness of his enterprise in the world of Egyptian re-
search ; and with this light everything around me began
to have a new interest. As I went on, the interest grew;
any lingering doubts which I might have had changed
to wonder and admiration. The house seemed to be
a veritable storehouse of marvels of antique art. In
addition to the curios, big and little, in Mr. Trelawny's
own room — from the great sarcophagi down to the
scarabs of all kinds in the cabinets — the great hall, the
staircase landings, the study, and even the boudoir were
full of antique pieces which would have made a collector's
mouth water.

Miss Trelawny from the first came with me, and looked
with growing interest at everything. After having ex-
amined some cabinets of exquisite amulets she said to
me in quite a naive way:

"You will hardly believe that I have of late seldom
even looked at any of these things. It is only since
Father has been ill that I seem to have even any curiosity
about them. But now, they grow and grow on me to
quite an absorbing degree. I wonder if it is that the
collector's blood which I have in my veins is beginning
to manifest itself. If so, the strange thing is that I have
not felt the call of it before. Of course I know most
of the big things, and have examined them more or
less; but really, in a sort of way I have always taken
nr

The Jewel of Seuen Stars

them for granted, as though they had always been there.
I have noticed the same thing now and again with family
pictures, and the way they are taken for granted by the
family. If you will let me examine them with you it
will be delightful!"

It was a joy to me to hear her talk in such a way;
and her last suggestion quite thrilled me. Together we
went round the various rooms and passages, examining
and admiring the magnificent curios. There was such
a bewildering amount and variety of objects that we
could only glance at most of them; but as we went
along we arranged that we should take them seriatim,
day by day, and examine them more closely. In the
hall was a sort of big frame of floriated steel work
which Margaret said her Father used for lifting the heavy
stone lid of the sarcophagi, It was not heavy and
could be moved about easily enough. By aid of this we
raised the covers in turn and looked at the endless series
of hieroglyphic pictures cut in some of them. In spite of
her profession of ignorance Margaret knew a good deal
about them; her year of life with her Father had had
unconsciously its daily and hourly lesson. She was a
remarkably clever and acute-minded girl, and with a
prodigious memory; so that her store of knowledge,
gathered unthinkingly bit by bit, had grown to pro-
portions that many a scholar might have envied.

And yet it was all so naive and unconscious; so girlish
and simple. She was so fresh in her views and ideas,
and had so little thought of self, that in her companion-
ship I forgot for the time all the troubles and mysteries
which enmeshed the house ; and I felt like a boy again. . . .

The most interesting of the sarcophagi were undoubt-
edly the three in Mr. Trelawny's room. Of these, two

The Jetoel o£ Secen Stars

were of dark stone, one of porphyry and the other of
a sort of ironstone. These were wrought with some
hieroglyphs. But the third was strikingly different. It
was of some yellow-brown substance of the dominating
color effect of Mexican onyx, which it resembled in many
ways, excepting that the natural pattern of its convo-
lutions was less marked. Here and there were patches
almost transparent — certainly translucent. The whole
chest, cover and alt, was wrought with hundreds, per-
haps thousands, of minute hieroglyphics, seemingly in
an endless series. Back, front, sides, edges, bottom, all
had their quota of the dainty pictures, the deep blue
of their coloring showing up fresh and sharply edged
in the yellow stone. It was very long, nearly nine feet;
and perhaps a yard wide. The sides undulated, so that
there was no hard line. Even the corners took such
excellent curves that they pleased the eye.

This sarcophagus stood near to one of the windows.
It was in one respect different from all the other sar-
cophagi in the place. AH the others in the house, of
whatever material— granite, porphyry, ironstone, basalt,
slate, or wood — were quite simple in form within.
Some of them were plain of interior surface ; others were
engraved, in whole or part, with hieroglyphics. But
each and all of them had no protuberances or -uneven
surface anywhere. They might have been used for baths;
indeed, they resembled in many ways Roman baths of
stone or marble which I had seen. Inside this, however,
was a raised space, outlined like a human figure. I
asked Margaret if she could explain it in any way. For
answer she said :

"Father never wished to speak about this. It at-
tracted my attention from the first ; but when I asked him
"3

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

about it he said: 'I shall tell you all about it some day,
little girl — if I live! But not yet. The story is not yet
told, as I hope to tell it to you ! Some day, perhaps soon,
I shall know all; and then we shall go over it together.
And a mighty interesting story you will find it — from
first to last!' Once afterward I said — rather lightly I
am afraid: ' Is that story of the sarcophagus told yet, Fa-
ther?' He shook his head, and looked at me gravely as
he said : ' Not yet, little girl ; but it will be — if I live — if
I live!' His repeating that phrase about his living rath-
er frightened me ; I never ventured to ask him again. ' '

Somehow this thrilled me. I could not exactly say
how or why; but it seems like a gleam of light at last.
There are, I think, moments when the mind accepts
something as true; though it can account for neither the
course of the thought, nor, if there be more than one
thought, the connection between them. Hitherto we
had been in such outer darkness regarding Mr. Tre-
lawny, and the strange visitation which had fallen on
him, that anything which afforded a clue, even of the
faintest and most shadowy kind, had at the outset the
enlightening satisfaction of a certainty. Here were two
lights of our puzzle. The first that Mr. Trelawny as-
sociated with this particular curio a doubt of his own
living. The second that he had some purpose or ex-
pectation with regard to it, which he would not disclose,
even to his daughter, till complete. Again it was to be
borne in mind that this sarcophagus differed internally
from all the others. What meant that odd raised place?
I said nothing to Miss Trelawny, for I feared lest I
should either frighten her or buoy her up with future
hopes; but I made up my mind that I would take an
early opportunity for further investigation.

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

Close beside the sarcophagus was a low table of green
stone, with red veins in it, like bloodstone. The feet
were fashioned like the paws of a jackal, and round each
leg was twined a full-throated snake wrought exquisitely
in pure gold. On it rested, a strange and very beautiful
coffer or casket of stone of a peculiar shape. It was
something like a small coffin, except that the longer
sides, instead of being cut off square like the upper
or level part were continued to a point. Thus it was an
irregular septahedron, there being two planes on each
of the two sides, one end and a top and bottom. The
stone, of one piece of which it was wrought, was such as
I had never seen before. At the base it was of a full
green, the color of emerald without, of course, its gleam.
It was not by any means dull, however, either in color
or substance, and was of infinite hardness and fineness of
texture. The surface was almost that of a jewel. The
color grew lighter as it rose, with gradation so fine as to
be imperceptible, changing to a fine yellow almost of
the color of "mandarin" china. It was quite unlike
anything I had ever seen, and did not resemble any stone
or gem that I knew. I took it to be some unique
mother-stone, or matrix of some gem. It was wrought
all over, except in a few spots, with fine hieroglyphics,
exquisitely done and colored with the same blue-green
cement or pigment that appeared on the sarcophagus.
In length it was about two feet and a half ; in breadth
about half this, and was nearly a foot high. The vacant
spaces were irregularly distributed about the top run-
ning to the pointed end. These places seemed less
opaque than the rest of the stone. I tried to lift up the
lid so that I might see if they were translucent; but
it was securely fixed. It fitted so exactly that the
"5

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

whole coffer seemed like a single piece of stone mys-
teriously hollowed from within. On the sides and edges
were some odd-looking protuberances which had been
sculptured by manifest design in the cutting of the
stone. They had queer-shaped holes or hollows, dif-
ferent in each ; and, like the rest, were covered with the
hieroglyphic figures, cut finely and filled in with the
same blue-green cement.

On the other side of the great sarcophagus stood an-
other small table of alabaster, exquisitely chased with
symbolic figures of gods and the signs of the zodiac.
On this table stood a case of about a foot square com-
posed of slabs of rock crystal set in a skeleton of bands
of red gold, beautifully engraved with hieroglyphics,
and colored with a blue green, very much the tint of
the figures on the sarcophagus and the coffer. The
whole work was quite modern.

But if the case was modern what it held was not.
Within, on a cushion of cloth of gold as fine as silk,
and with the peculiar softness of old gold, rested a
mummy hand, so perfect that it startled one to see it.
A woman's hand, fine and long, with slim tapering
fingers and nearly as perfect as when it was given to
the embalmer thousands of years before. In the em-
balming it had lost nothing of its beautiful shape;
even the wrist seemed to maintain its pliability as the
gentle curve lay on the cushion. The skin was of a
rich creamy or old ivory color; a dusky fair skin which
suggested heat, but heat in shadow. The great peculiar-
ity of it, as a hand, was that it had in all seven fingers,
there being two middle and two index fingers. The
upper end of the wrist was jagged, as though it had
been broken off, and was stained with a red-brown stain.
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The Jewel of Seuen Stars

On the cushion near the hand was a small scarab, ex-
quisitely wrought of emerald. Margaret noticed my
admiration and said:

" That is another of Father's mysteries. When 1 asked
him about it, he said that it was perhaps the most
valuable thing he had — except one. When I asked him
what that one was, he refused to tell me, and forbade
me to ask him anything concerning it. 'I will tell you,'
he said, 'all about it, too, in good time — if I live!' "

"If I live!" the phrase again. These three things
grouped together, the Sarcophagus, the Coffer, and the
Hand, seemed to make a triplicate mystery indeed!

At this time Miss Trelawny was sent for on some
domestic matter. I looked at the other curios in the
room; but they did not seem to have anything like
the same charm for me, now that she was away. Later
on in the day I was sent for to the boudoir where she was
consulting with Mrs. Grant as to the lodgment of Mr.
Corbeck. They were in doubt as to whether he should
have a room close to Mr. Trelawny's or quite away
from it, and had thought it well to ask my advice on the
subject. I came to the conclusion that he had better
not be too near. For the first at all events; he could
easily be moved closer if necessary. When Mrs. Grant
had gone, I asked Miss Trelawny how it came that the
furniture of this room, the boudoir in which we were,
was so different from the other rooms of the house.

"Father's forethought!" she answered. "When I
first came, he thought, and rightly enough, that I might
get frightened with so many records of death and the
tomb everywhere. So he had this room and the little
suite off it — that door opens into the sitting-room —
where I slept last night, furnished with pretty things.
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The Jetoel off Seuen Stars

You see, they are all beautiful. That cabinet belonged
to the great Napoleon."

"There is nothing Egyptian in these rooms at all
then?" I asked, rather to show interest in what she
had said than anything else, for the furnishing of the
room was apparent. "What a lovely cabinet! May I
look at it?"

"Of course! with the greatest pleasure!" she answered,
with a smile. "Its finishing within and without, Father
says, is absolutely complete." I stepped over and
looked at it closely. It was made of tulip wood, inlaid
in pattern; and was mounted in ormolu. I pulled open
one of the drawers, a deep one where I could see the
work to great advantage. As I pulled it, something
rattled inside as though rolling ; there was a tinkle as of
metal on metal.

"Hullo!" I said. "There is something in here. Per-
haps I had better not open it."

"There is nothing that I know of," she answered.
"Some of the housemaids may have used it to put some-
thing by for the time and forgotten it. Open it, by all
means!"

I pulled open the drawer; as I did so, both Miss Tre-
lawny and I started back in amazement.

There before our eyes lay a number of ancient Egyp-
tian lamps, of various sizes and of strangely varied
shapes.

We leaned over them and looked closely. My own
heart was beating like a trip-hammer; and I could see
by the heaving of Margaret's bosom that she was
strangely excited.

Whilst we looked, afraid to touch and almost afraid to
think, there was a ring at the front door; immediately
118

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

afterwards Mr. Corbeck, followed by Sergeant Daw,
came into the hall. The door of the boudoir was open,
and when they saw us Mr. Corbeck came in, followed
more slowly by the Detective.

He stopped, struck by the strange pallor of her face.
Then his eyes, following her look and mine, lit on the
cluster of lamps in the drawer. He gave a sort of cry of
surprise and joy as he bent over and touched them:

"My lamps! My lamps! Then they are safe — safe
— safe! . . . But how, in the name of God — of all the
Gods — did they come here?"

We all stood silent. The Detective made a deep sound
of in-taking breath. I looked at him, and as he caught
my glance he turned his eyes on Miss Trelawny whose
back was toward him.

There was in them the same look of suspicion which
had been there when he had spoken to me of her being
the first to find her father on the occasions of the attack.

The Need of* Knoiu ledge

MR. CORBECK seemed to go almost off his head
at the recovery of the lamps. He took them up
one by one and looked them all over tenderly, as though
they were things that he loved. In his delight and
excitement he breathed so hard that it seemed almost
like a cat purring. Sergeant Daw said quietly, his voice
breaking the silence like a discord in a melody :

"Are you quite sure those lamps are the ones you
had, and that were stolen?"

His answer was in an indignant tone: "Sure! Of
course I'm sure. There isn't another set of lamps like
these in the world!"

"So far as you know!" The Detective's words were
smooth enough, but his manner was so exasperating that
I was sure he had some motive in it; so I waited in si-
ence. He went on:

"Of course there maybe some in the British Museum;
or Mr. Trelawny may have had these already. There's
nothing new under the sun, you know, Mr. Corbeck; not
even in Egypt. These may be the originals, and yours
may have been the copies. Are there any points by
which you can identify these as yours?"

Mr. Corbeck was really angry by this time. He forgot
his reserve ; and in his indignation poured forth a torrent
of almost incoherent, but enlightening, broken sentences :

The Jewel of Secen Stars

"Identify! Copies of them! British Museum! Rot!
Perhaps they keep a set in Scotland Yard for teaching
idiot policemen Egyptology! Do I know them? When
I have carried them about my body, in the desert, for
three months; and lay awake night after night to watch
them! When I have looked them over with a magni-
fying-glass, hour after hour, till my eyes ached; till every
tiny blotch, and chip, and dinge became as familiar to
me as his chart to a captain ; as familiar as they doubtless
have been all the time to every thick-headed area-
prowler within the bounds of mortality. See here,
young man, look at these!" He ranged the lamps in a
row on the top of the cabinet. "Did you ever see a set of
lamps of these shapes — of any one of these shapes ? Look
at these dominant figures on them! Did you ever see
so complete a set — even in Scotland Yard ; even in Bow
Street? Look! one on each, the seven forms of Hathor.
Look at that figure of a Kaa, holding, one in either hand,
the crowns of the Two Egypts, between Ra and Osiris
in the Boat of the Dead, with the Eye of Sleep, sup-
ported on legs, bending before it; and Harmachis rising
in the north. Will you find that in the British Museum
— or Bow Street? Or perhaps your studies in the Gizeh
Museum, or the Fitzwilliam, or Paris, or Leyden, or Ber-
lin, have shown you that the episode is common in
hieroglyphics; and that this is only a copy. Perhaps
you can tell me what that figure of Ptah-Seker-Ausar
holding the Tet wrapped in the roll of papyrus means?
Did you ever see if. before; even in the British Museum,
or Gizeh, or Scotland Yard?"

He broke off suddenly ; and then went on in quite a
different way:

"Look here! it seems to me that the thick-headed

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

idiot is myself! I beg your pardon, old fellow, for my
rudeness. I quite lost my temper at the suggestion
that I do not know these lamps. You don't mind, do
you?" The Detective answered heartily:

"Lord, sir, not I. I like to see folks angry when I
am dealing with them, whether they are on my side or
the other. It is when people are angry that you learn
the truth from them. I keep cool; that is my trade!
Do you know, you have told me more about those lamps
in the past two minutes than when you filled me up with
details of how to identify them!"

Mr. Corbeck grunted; he was not pleased at having
given himself away. All at once he turned to me and
said in his natural way :

"Now tell me how you got them back?" I was so
surprised that I said without thinking:

"We didn't get them back!" The traveller laughed
openly.

"What on earth do you mean?" he asked. "You
didn't get them back? Why, there they are before your
eyes! We found you looking at them when we came
in." By this time I had recovered my surprise and had
my wits about me.

"Why, that's just it," I said. "We had only come
across them by accident, that very moment!"

Mr. Corbeck drew back and looked hard at Miss Tre-
lawny and myself; turning his eyes from one to the
other he asked :

"Do you mean to tell me that no one brought them
here; that you found them in that drawer? That, so
to speak, no one at all brought them back?"

"I suppose some one must have brought them here;
they couldn't have come of their own accord. But who

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

it was, or when, or how, neither of us knows. We shall
have to make inquiry, and see if any of the servants
know anything of it."

We all stood silent for several seconds. It seemed a
long time. The first to speak was the Detective, who
said in an unconscious way:

"Well, I'm damned! I beg your pardon, miss!" Then
his mouth shut viciously.

We called up the servants, one by one, and asked
them if they knew anything of some articles placed in
a drawer in the boudoir; but none of them could throw
any light on the circumstance. We did not tell them
what the articles were; nor did we let them see them.

Mr. Corbeck packed the lamps in cotton wool, and
placed them in a tin box. This,- I may mention inci-
dentally, was then brought up to the Detectives' room,
where one of the men stood guard over them with a
revolver the whole night. Next day we got a small
safe into the house, and placed them in it. There were
two different keys. One of them I kept myself; the
other I placed in my drawer in the Safe Deposit vault.
We were all determined that the lamps should not be
lost again.

About an hour after we had found the lamps Doctor
Winchester arrived. He had a large parcel with him,
which, when unwrapped, proved to be the mummy of
a cat. With Miss Trelawny's permission he placed this
in the boudoir; and Silvio was brought close to it. To
the surprise of us all, however, except, perhaps, Doctor
Winchester, he did not manifest the least annoyance; he
took no notice of it whatever. He stood on the table
close beside it, purring loudly. Then, following out his
plan, the Doctor brought him into Mr. Trelawny's room,
123

The Jewel of Secen Stars

we all following. Doctor Winchester was excited ; Miss
Trelawny anxious. I was more than interested myself,
for I began to have a glimmering of the Doctor's idea.
The Detective was calmly and coldly superior; but
Mr. Corbeck, who was an enthusiast, was full of eager
curiosity.

The moment Doctor Winchester got into the room,
Silvio began to mew and wriggle; and, jumping out of
his arms, ran over to the cat mummy and began to
scratch angrily at it. Miss Trelawny had some diffi-
culty in taking him away ; but so soon as he was out of
the room he became quiet. When she came back there
was a clamor of comments:

"I thought so!" from the Doctor.

"What can it mean?" from Miss Trelawny.

"That's a very strange thing!" from Mr. Corbeck.

"Odd! but it doesn't prove anything!" from the
Detective.

"I suspend my judgment!" I said, thinking it advis-
able to say something.

Then by common consent we dropped the theme —
for the present.

In my room that evening I was making some notes
of what had happened, when there came a low tap on
the door. In obedience to my summons Sergeant Daw
came in, carefully closing the door behind him.

"Well, Sergeant," said I, "sit down. What is it?"

"I wanted to speak to you, sir, about those lamps."
I nodded and waited: he went on: "You know that
that room where they were found opens directly into
the room where Miss Trelawny slept last night?"

"Yes."

"During the night a window somewhere in that part

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

of the house was opened, and shut again. I heard it, and
took a look round; but I could see no sign of anything."

"Yes, I know that!" I said. "I heard a window
moved myself."

" Does nothing strike you as strange about it. sir?"

"Strange!" I said, "strange! why it's all the most
bewildering, maddening thing I have ever encountered.
It is all so strange that one seems to wonder ; and sim-
ply waits for what will happen next. But what do you
mean by strange?"

The Detective paused, as if choosing his words to be-
gin ; and then said deliberately :

"You see, I am not one who believes in magic and
such things. I am for facts all the time; and I always
find in the long-run that there is a reason and a cause
for everything. This new gentleman says these things
were stolen out of his room in the hotel. The lamps,
I take it from some things he has said, really belong, to
Mr. Trelawny. His daughter, the lady of the house,
having left the room she usually occupies, sleeps that
night on the ground floor. A window is heard to open
and shut during the night. When we, who have been
during the day trying to find a clue to the robbery,
come to the house, we find the stolen goods in a room
close to where she slept, and opening out of it!"

He stopped. I felt that same sense of pain and ap-
prehension, which I had experienced when he had spoken
to me before, creeping, or rather rushing, over me again.
I had to face the matter out, however. My relations
with her, and the feeling toward her which I now knew
full well meant a very deep love and devotion, demanded
so much. I said as calmly as I could, for I knew the
keen eyes of the skilful investigator were on me:

125

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

"And the inference?"

He answered with the cool audacity of conviction :

"The inference to me is that there was no robbery
at all. The goods were taken by some one to this house,
where they were received through a window on the
ground floor. They were placed in the cabinet, ready
to be discovered when the proper time should come!"

Somehow I felt relieved; the assumption was too
monstrous. I did not want, however, my relief to be
apparent, so I answered as gravely as I could:

"And who do you suppose brought them to the
house?"

"I keep my mind open as to that. Possibly Mr. Cor-
beck himself; the matter might be too risky to trust
to a third party."

"Then the natural extension of your inference is that
Mr. Corbeck is a liar and a fraud ; and that he is in con-
spiracy with Miss Trelawny to deceive some one or other
about those lamps."

"Those are harsh words, Mr. Ross. They're so plain-
spoken that they bring a man up standing, and make
new doubts for him. But I have to go where my reason
points. It may be that there is another party than
Miss Trelawny in it. Indeed, if it hadn't been for the
other matter that set me thinking and bred doubts of
its own about her, I wouldn't dream of mixing her up
in this. But I'm safe on Corbeck. Whoever else is in
it, he is! The things couldn't have been taken without
his connivance — if what he says is true. If it isn't —
well! he is a liar anyhow. I would think it a bad job
to have him stay in the house with so many valuables,
only that it will give me and my mate a chance of watch-
ing him. We'll keep a pretty good look-out, too, I tell
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you. He's up in my room now, guarding those lamps
by way of; but Johnny Wright is there, too. I go on
before he conies off; so there won't be much, chance of
another house-breaking. Of course, Mr. Ross, all this,
too, is between you and me."

"Quite so! You may depend on my silence!" I said;
and he went away to keep a close eye on the Egyp-
tologist.

It seemed as though all my painful experiences were
to go in pairs, and that the sequence of the previous
day was to be repeated; for before long I had another
private visit from Doctor Winchester who had now paid
his nightly visit to his patient and was on his way home.
He took a seat and began at once:

"This is a strange affair altogether. Miss Trelawny
has just been telling me about the stolen lamps, and of
the finding of them in the Napoleon cabinet. It would
seem to be another complication of the mystery; and
yet, do you know, it is a relief to me! I have ex-
hausted all human and natural possibilities of the
case, and am beginning to fall back on superhuman
and supernatural possibilities. Here are such strange
things that, if I am not going mad, I think we must
have a solution before long. I wonder if I might
ask some questions and some help from Mr. Corbeck,
without making further complications to embarrass us?
He seems to know an amazing amount regarding Egypt
and all relating to it. Perhaps he wouldn't mind trans-
lating a little bit of hieroglyphic. It is child's play to
him. What do you think?"

When I had thought the matter over a few seconds
I spoke. We wanted all the help we could get. For
myself, I had perfect confidence in both men; and any
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comparing notes, or mutual assistance, might bring good
results. Such could hardly bring evil.

"By all means I should ask him. He seems extraor-
dinarily learned in Egyptology ; and he seems to me to
be a good fellow, as well as an enthusiast. By theway,
it will be necessary to be a little guarded as to whom you
speak regarding any information which he may give you. ' '

"Of course!" he answered. "Indeed, I should not
dream of saying anything to anybody, excepting your-
self. We have to remember that when Mr. Trelawny
recovers he may not like to think that we have been
chattering unduly over his affairs."

" Look here!" I said, "why not stay for a while: and
I shall ask him to come and have a pipe with us. We
can then talk over things."

He acquiesced: so I went to the room where Mr. Cor-
beck was, and brought him back with me. I thought
the Detectives were pleased at his going. On the way
to my room he said:

"I don't half like leaving those things there, with only
those men to guard them. They're a deal sight too
precious to be left to the police!"

From which it would appear that suspicion was a
privilege not confined to Sergeant Daw.

Mr. Corbeck and Doctor Winchester, after a quick
glance at each other, became at once on most friendly
terms. The traveller professed his willingness to be of
any assistance which he could, provided, he added, that
it was on any subject about which he was free to speak.
This was not very promising; but Doctor Winchester
began at once :

"I want you, if you will, to translate some hiero-
glyphic for me."

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The Jeicel of Seoen Stars

"Certainly, with the greatest pleasure, so far as I can.
For I may tell you that hieroglyphic writing is not quite
mastered yet; though we are getting at it! We are
getting at it! What is the inscription?"

"There are two," he answered. "One of them I
shall bring here."

He went out, and returned in a minute with the
mummy cat which he had that evening introduced to
Silvio. The scholar took it ; and, after a short examina-
tion, said:

"There is nothing especial in this. It is an appeal
to Bast, the Lady of Bubastis, to give her good bread
and milk in the Elysian Fields. There may be more in-
side; and if you will care to unroll it, I will do my best.
I do not think, however, that there is anything special.
From the method of wrapping I should say it is from
Delta; and of a late period, when such mummy work was
common and cheap. What is the other inscription you
wish me to see?"

" The inscription on the mummy cat in Mr. Trelawny's
room."

Mr. Corbeck's face fell. "No!" he said, "I cannot do
that! I am, for the present at all events, practically
bound to secrecy regarding any of the things in Mr.
Trelawny's room."

Doctor Winchester's comment and my own were made
at the same moment. I said only the one word, " Check-
mate!" from which I think the Doctor may have gathered
that I guessed more of his idea and purpose than perhaps
I had intentionally conveyed to him. He murmured:

"Practically bound to secrecy?"

Mr. Corbeck at once took up the challenge conveyed:

"Do not misunderstand me! I am not bound by
1 29

The Jewel of Secen Stars

any definite pledge of secrecy ; but I am bound in honor
to respect Mr. Trelawny's confidence, given to me, I
may tell you, in a very large measure. Regarding
many of the objects in his room he has a definite purpose
in view ; and it would not be either right or becoming for
me, his trusted friend and confidant, to forestall that
purpose. Mr. Trelawny, you may know — or rather you
do not know or you would not have so construed
my remark — is a scholar, a very great scholar. He
has worked for years toward a certain end. For this
he has spared no labor, no expense, no personal danger
or self-denial. He is on the line of a result which will
place him amongst the foremost discoverers or in-
vestigators of his age. And now, just at the time when
any hour might bring him success, he is stricken down!"

He stopped, seemingly overcome with emotion. After
a time he recovered himself and went on :

"Again, do not misunderstand me as to another point.
I have said that Mr. Trelawny has made much con-
fidence with me ; but I do not mean to lead you to believe
that I know all his plans, or his aims or objects. I know
the period which he has been studying; and the definite
historical individual whose life he has been investigating,
and whose records he has been following up one by one
with infinite patience. But beyond this I know nothing.
That he has some aim or object in the completion of this
knowledge I am convinced. What it is I may guess;
but I must say nothing. Please to remember, gentle-
men, that I have voluntarily accepted the position of
recipient of a partial confidence. I have respected that;
and I must ask any of my friends to do the same."

He spoke with great dignity; and he grew, moment

by moment, in the respect and esteem of both Doctor

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Winchester and myself. We understood that he had
not done speaking; so we waited in silence till he con-
tinued :

"I have spoken this much, although I know well that
even such a hint as either of you might gather from
my words might jeopardise the success of his work.
But I am convinced that you both wish to help him —
and his daughter" — he said this looking me fairly be-
tween the eyes — "to the best of your power, honestly
and unselfishly. He is so stricken down, and the
manner of it is so mysterious that I cannot but think
that it is in some way a result of his own work. That he
calculated on some set-back is manifest to us all. God
knows! I am willing to do what I can, and to use any
knowledge I have in his behalf. I arrived in England
full of exultation at the thought that I had fulfilled the
mission with which he had trusted me. I had got what
he said were the last objects of his search; and I felt
assured that he would now be able to begin the ex-
periment of which he had often hinted to me. It is too
dreadful that at just such a time such a calamity should
have fallen on him. Doctor "Winchester, you are a
physician; and, if your face does not belie you, you are
a clever and a bold one. Is there no way which you
can devise to wake this man from his unnatural stupor?"

There was a pause; then the answer came slowly and
deliberately :

"There is no ordinary remedy that I know of. There
might possibly be some extraordinary one. But there
would be no use in trying to find it, except on one con-
dition."

"And that?"

"Knowledge! I am completely ignorant of Egyptian
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matters, language, writing, history, secrets, medicines,
poisons, occult powers — all that go to make up the
mystery of that mysterious land. This disease, or con-
dition, or whatever it may be called, from which Mr.
Trelawny is suffering, is in some way connected with
Egypt. I have had a suspicion of this from the first;
and later it grew into a certainty, though without proof.
What you have said to-night confirms my conjecture,
and makes me believe that a proof is to be had. I do
not think that you quite know all that has gone on in
this house since the night of the attack— of the finding
of Mr. Trelawny's body. Now I propose that we confide
in you. If Mr. Ross agrees, I shall ask him to tell you.
He is more skilled than I am in putting facts before other
people. He can speak by his brief: and in this case he
has the best of all briefs, the experience of his own eyes
and ears, and the evidence that he has himself taken
on the spot from participators in, or spectators of, what
has happened. When you know all, you will, I hope,
be in a position to judge as to whether you can best
help Mr. Trelawny, and further his secret wishes, by
your silence or your speech."

I nodded approval. Mr. Corbeck jumped up, and in
his impulsive way held out a hand to each.

"Done!" he said. "I acknowledge the honor of your
confidence; and on my part I pledge myself that if I
find my duty to Mr. Trelawny's wishes will, in his own
interest, allow my lips to open on his affairs, I shall
speak so freely as I may."

Accordingly I began and told him, as exactly as I

could, everything that had happened from the moment

of my waking at the knocking on the door in Jermyn

Street. The only reservations I made were as to my

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own feeling toward Miss Trelawny, and the matters of
small import to the main subject which followed it; and
my conversations with Sergeant Daw. These subjects
were in themselves private, and would have demanded
discretionary silence in any case. As I spoke, Mr.
Corbeck followed with breathless interest. Sometimes
he would stand up and pace about the room in uncon-
trollable excitement; and then recover himself suddenly,
and sit down again. Sometimes he would be about to
speak, but would, with an effort, restrain himself. I think
the narration helped me to make up my own mind; for,
as I talked, things seemed to appear, even to me, in a
clearer light. Things big and little, in relation of their
importance to the case, fell into proper perspective. The
story Tip to date became coherent ; except as to its cause,
which seemed a greater mystery than ever. This is the
merit of entire, or collected, narrative. Isolated facts,
doubts, suspicions, conjectures, give way to a homo-
geneity which is convincing.

That Mr. Corbeck was convinced was evident. He
did not go through any process of explanation or limi-
tation, but spoke right out at once to the point, and
fearlessly, like a man:

"That settles me! There is in activity some Force
that needs special care. If we all go on working in the
dark we shall get in one another's way, and by hamper-
ing each other undo the good that any or each of us,
working in different directions, might do. It seems to
me that the first thing we have to accomplish is to get
Mr. Trelawny waked out of that unnatural sleep. That
he can be awaked is apparent from the way the Nurse
has recovered; though what additional harm may have
been done to him in the time he has been lying in that
i33

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

room I suppose no one can tell. We must chance that,
however. He has lain there, and whatever the effect
might be, it is there now; and we have, and shall have,
to deal with it as a fact. A day more or less won't hurt
in the long-run. It is late now; and we shall probably
have to-morrow a task before us that will require our
energies fresh. You, Doctor, will want to get to your
sleep; for I suppose you have other work as well as this
to do to-morrow. As for you, Mr. Ross, I understand
that you are to have a spell of watching in the sick-room
to-night. I shall get you a book which will help to pass
the time for you. I shall go look for it in the library.
I know where it was when I was here last; and I don't
suppose Mr. Trelawny has used it since. He knew long
ago all in it which was or might be of interest to him.
But it will be necessary, or at least helpful, to understand
other things of which I shall tell you later. You will
be able to tell Doctor Winchester all that would aid him.
For I take it that our work will branch out pretty soon.
We shall each have our own end to hold up ; and it will
take each of us all our time and understanding to get
through his own tasks. It will not be necessary for you
to read the whole book. All that will interest you —
with regard to our matter I mean of course, for the
whole book is interesting as a record of travel in a
country then quite unknown — is the preface, and two
or three chapters which I shall mark for you."

He shook hands warmly with Doctor Winchester who
had stood up to go.

Whilst he was away I sat lonely, thinking. As I

thought, the world around me seemed to be inimitably

great. The only little spot in which I was interested

seemed like a tiny speck in the midst of a wilderness.

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Without and around it were darkness and unknown
danger, pressing in from every side. And the central
figure in our little oasis was one of sweetness and
beauty. A figure one could love; could work for; could
die for ... !

Mr. Corbeck came back in a very short time with the
book; he had found it at once in the spot where he had
seen it three years before. Having placed in it several
slips of paper, marking the places where I was to read,
he put it into my hands saying:

"That is what started Mr. Trelawny ; what started me
when I read it ; and which will, I have no doubt, be to
you an interesting beginning to a special study — what-
ever the end may be. If, indeed, any of us here may
ever see the end."

At the door he paused and said:

" I want to take back one thing. That Detective is a
good fellow. What you have told me of him puts him
in a new light. The best proof of it is that I can go
quietly to sleep to-night, and leave the lamps in his
care!"

When he had gone I took the book with me, put on
my respirator, and went to my spell of duty in the sick-
room!

The Valley off the Sorcerer

1 PLACED the book on the little table on which the
shaded lamp rested, and moved the screen to one
side. Thus I could have the light on my book; and by-
looking up, see the bed, and the Nurse, and the door.
I cannot say that the conditions were enjoyable, or cal-
culated to allow of that absorption in the subject which
is advisable for effective study. However, I composed
myself to the work as well as I could. The book was
one which, on the very face of it, required special atten-
tion. It was a folio in Dutch, printed in Amsterdam in
1650. Some one had made a literal translation, writing
generally the English word under the Dutch, so that the
grammatical differences between the two tongues made
even the reading of the translation a difficult matter.
One had to dodge backward and forward among the
words. This was in addition to the difficulty of decipher-
ing a strange handwriting of two hundred years ago.
I found, however, that after a short time I got into the
habit of following in conventional English the Dutch
construction; and, as I became more familiar with the
writing, my task became easier.

At first the circumstances of the room, and the fear
lest Miss Trelawny should return unexpectedly and find
me reading the book, disturbed me somewhat. For we
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The Jewel o£ Semen Stars

had arranged amongst us, before Doctor Winchester had
gone home, that she was not to be brought into the range
of the coming investigation. We considered that there
might be some shock to a woman's mind in matters of
apparent mystery ; and further, that she, being Mr. Tre-
lawny's daughter, might be placed in a difficult position
with him afterward if she took part in, or even had a
personal knowledge of, the disregarding of his expressed
wishes. But when I remembered that she did not come
on nursing duty till two o'clock, the fear of interruption
passed away. I had still nearly three hours before me.
Nurse Kennedy sat in her chair by the bedside, patient
and alert. A clock ticked on the landing; other clocks
in the house ticked; the life of the city without mani-
fested itself in the distant hum, now and again swelling
into a roar as a breeze floating westward took the con-
course of sounds with it. But still the dominant idea
was of silence. The light on my book, and the soothing
fringe of green silk round the shade intensified, whenever
I looked up, the gloom of the sick-room. With every
line I read, this seemed to grow deeper and deeper; so
that when my eyes came back to the page the light
seemed to dazzle me. I stuck to my work, however,
and presently began to get sufficiently into the subject
to become interested in it.

The book was by one Nicholas van Huyn of Hoorn.
In the preface he told how, attracted by the work of
John Greaves of Merton College, Pyramidographia, he
himself visited Egypt, where he became so interested in
its wonders that he devoted some years of his life to
visiting strange places, and exploring the ruins of many
temples and tombs. He had come across many variants
of the story of the building of the Pyramids as told by
r37

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

the Arabian historian, Ibn Abd Alhokin, some of which
he set down. These I did not stop to read, but went on
to the marked pages.

As soon as I began to read these, however, there grew
on me some sense of a disturbing influence. Once or
twice I looked to see if the Nurse had moved, for there
was a feeling as though some one were near me. Nurse
Kennedy sat in her place, as steady and alert as ever;
and I came back to my book again.

The narrative went on to tell how, after passing for
several days through the mountains to the east of
Aswan, the explorer came to a certain place. Here I
give his own words, simply putting the translation into
modern English.

"Toward evening we came to the entrance of a nar-
row, deep valley, running east and west. I wished
to proceed through this; for the sun, now nearly down
on the horizon, showed a wide opening beyond the
narrowing of the cliffs. But the fellaheen absolutely
refused to enter the valley at such a time, alleging that
they might be caught by the night before they could
emerge from the other end. At first they would give
no reason for their fear. They had hitherto gone any-
where I wished, and at any time, without demur. On
being pressed, however, they said that the place was the
Valley of the Sorcerer, where none might come in the
night. On being asked to tell of the Sorcerer, they re-
fused, saying that there was no name, and that they
knew nothing. On the next morning, however, when
the sun was up and shining down the valley, their fears
had somewhat passed away. Then they told me that a
great Sorcerer in ancient days—' millions of millions of
years' was the term they used — a King or a Queen, they
138

The Jewel off Somen Stars

could not say which, was buried there. They could
not give the name, persisting to the last that there was
no name; and that any one who should name it would
waste away in life so that at death nothing of him would
remain to be raised again in the Other World. In
passing through the valley they kept together in a
cluster, hurrying on in front of me. None dared to
remain behind. They gave, as their reason for so pro-
ceeding, that the arms of the Sorcerer were long, and
that it was dangerous to be the last. The which was of
little comfort to me who of this necessity took that
honorable post. In the narrowest part of the valley,
on the south side, was a great cliff of rock, rising sheer,
of smooth and even surface. Hereon were graven
certain cabalistic signs; mysterious symbols which will
puzzle the Recording Angel to interpret at the Judgment
Day. The cliff faced exactly north. There was some-
thing about it so strange, and so different from the
other carved rocks which I had visited, that I called a
halt and spent the day in examining the rock front as
well as I could with my telescope. The Egyptians of
my company were terribly afraid, and used every kind
of persuasion to induce me to pass on. I stayed till
late in the afternoon; by which time I had failed to
make out aright the entry of any tomb, for I suspected
that such was the purpose of the sculpture of the rock.
By now the men were rebellious; and I had to leave the
valley if I did not wish my whole retinue to desert.
But I secretly made up my mind to discover the tomb,
and explore it. To this end I went further into the
mountains, where I met with an Arab sheik who was
willing to take service with me. The Arabs were not
bound by the same superstitious fears as the Egyptians;
i39

The Jewel of Sevjen Stars

Sheik Abu Soma and his following were willing to take a
part in the explorations.

"When I returned to the valley with these Bedouins,
I made effort to climb the face of the rock, but failed,
it being of one impenetrable smoothness. The stone,
generally flat and smooth by nature, had been chiselled
to completeness. That there had been projecting steps
was manifest, for there remained, untouched by the
wondrous climate of that strange land, the marks of
saw and chisel and mallet where the steps had been cut
or broken away.

"Being thus baffled of winning the tomb from below,
and being unprovided with ladders to scale, I found a
way by much circuitous journeying to the top of the
cliff. Thence I caused myself to be lowered by ropes,
till I had investigated that portion of the rock face
wherein I expected to find the opening. I found that
there was an entrance, closed however by a great stone
slab. This was cut in the rock more than a hundred
feet up, being two-thirds the height of the cliff. The
hieroglyphic and cabalistic symbols cut in the rock
were so managed as to disguise it. The cutting was
deep, and was continued through the rock and the
portals of the doorway, and through the great slab
which formed the door itself. This was fixed in place
with such incredible exactness that no stone chisel or
cutting implement which I had with me could find a
lodgment in the interstices. I used much force, how-
ever; and by many heavy strokes won a way into the
tomb, for such I found it to be. The stone door having
fallen into the entrance I passed over it into the tomb,
noting as I went a long iron chain which hung coiled on
a bracket close to the doorway.

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

"The tomb I found to be complete, after the manner
of the finest Egyptian tombs, with chamber and shaft
leading down to the corridor, ending in the Mummy Pit.
It had the table of pictures, which seems some kind of
record — whose meaning is now for ever lost — graven in
a wondrous color on a wondrous stone.

"All the walls of the chamber and the passage were
carved with strange writings in the uncanny form
mentioned. The huge stone coffin or sarcophagus in
the deep pit was marvellously graven throughout with
signs. The Arab chief and two others who ventured
into the tomb with me, and who were evidently used to
such grim explorations, managed to take the cover from
the sarcophagus without breaking it. At which they
wondered; for such good fortune, they said, did not
usually attend such efforts. Indeed they seemed not
over careful; and did handle the various furniture
of the tomb with such little concern that, only for its
great strength and thickness, even the coffin itself
might have been injured. Which gave me much con-
cern, for it was very beautifully wrought of rare stone,
such as I had no knowledge of. Much I grieved that
it were not possible to carry it away. But time and
desert journeyings forbade such; I could only take
with me such small matters as could be carried on the
person.

"Within the sarcophagus was a body, manifestly of a
woman, swathed with many wrappings of linen, as is
usual with all mummies. From certain embroiderings
thereon, I gathered that she was of high rank. Across
the breast was one hand, unwrapped. In the mummies
which I had seen, the arms and hands are within the
wrappings, and certain adornments of wood, shaped and
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The Jetoel of Seuen Stars

painted to resemble arms and hands, lie outside the
enwrapped body.

" But this hand was strange to see, for it was the real
hand of her who lay enwrapped there ; the arm project-
ing from the cerements being of flesh, seemingly made
as like marble in the process of embalming. Arm and
hand were of dusky white, being of the hue of ivory
that hath lain long in air. The skin and the nails were
as complete and whole, as though the body had been
placed for burial over night. I touched the hand and
moved it, the arm being something flexible as a live
arm; though stiff with long disuse, as are the arms of
those faqueers which I have seen in the Indees. There
was, too, an added wonder that on this ancient hand
were no less than seven fingers, the same all being fine
and long, and of great beauty. Sooth to say, it made
me shudder and my flesh creep to touch that hand that
had lain there undisturbed for so many thousands of
years, and yet was like unto living flesh. Underneath
the hand, as though guarded by it, lay a huge carven
jewel of ruby; a great stone of wondrous bigness, for the
ruby is in the main a small jewel. This one was of
wondrous color, being as of fine blood whereon the light
shineth. But its wonder lay not in its size or color,
though these were, as I have said, of priceless rarity;
but in that the light of it shone from seven stars, each
of seven points, as clearly as though the stars were in
reality there imprisoned. When that the hand was
lifted, the sight of that wondrous stone lying there struck
me with a shock almost to momentary paralysis. I stood
gazing on it, as did those with me, as though it were
that fabled head of the Gorgon Medusa, with the snakes
in her hair, whose sight struck into stone those who

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

beheld. So strong was the feeling that I wanted to
hurry away from the place. So, too, those with me;
therefore, taking this rare jewel, together with certain
amulets of strangeness and richness being wrought ef
jewel-stones, I made haste to depart. I would have
remained longer, and made further research in the wrap-
pings of the mummy, but that I feared so to do. For it
came to me all at once that I was in a desert place,
with strange men who were with me because they were
not over-scrupulous. That we were in a lone cavern of
the dead, a hundred feet above the ground, where none
could find me were ill done to me, nor would any ever
seek. But in secret I determined that I would come
again, though with more secure following. Moreover,
was I tempted to seek further, as in examining the
wrappings I saw many things of strange import in that
wondrous tomb ; including a casket of eccentric shape
made of some strange stone, which methought might
have contained other jewels, inasmuch as it had secure
lodgment in the great sarcophagus itself. There was in
the tomb also another coffer which, though of rare pro-
portion and adornment, was more simply shaped. It
was of ironstone of great thickness; but the cover was
lightly cemented down with what seemed gum and
Paris plaster, as though to insure that no air could pene-
trate. The Arabs with me so insisted in its opening,
thinking that from its thickness much treasure was stored
therein, that I consented thereto. But their hope was
a false one, as it proved. Within, closely packed, stood
four jars finely wrought and carved with various adorn-
ments. Of these one was the head of a man, another
of a dog, another of a jackal, and another of a hawk.
I had before known that such burial urns as these were
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The Jewel of Seoen Stars

used to contain the entrails and other organs of the
mummied dead; but on opening these, for the fastening
of wax, though complete, was thin, and yielded easily,
we found that they held but oil. The Bedouins, spilling
most of the oil in the process, groped with their hands
in the jars lest treasure should have been there concealed.
But their searching was of no avail; no treasure was
there. I was warned of my danger by seeing in the
eyes of the Arabs certain covetous glances. Whereon, in
OTder to hasten their departure, I wrought upon those
fears of superstition which even in these callous men
were apparent. The chief of the Bedouins ascended
from the Pit to give the signal to those above to raise
us; and I, not caring to remain with the men whom I
mistrusted, followed him immediately. The others did
not come at once ; from which I feared that they were
rifling the tomb afresh on their own account. I refrained
to speak of it, however, lest worse should befall. At
last they came. One of them, who ascended first, in
landing at the top of the cliff lost his foothold and fell
below. He was instantly killed. The other followed,
but in safety. The chief came next, and I came last.
Before coming away I pulled into its place again, as
well as I could, the slab of stone that covered the en-
trance to the tomb. I wished, if possible, to preserve it
for my own examination should I come again.

"When we all stood on the hill above the cliff, the
burning sun that was bright and full of glory was good
to see after the darkness and strange mystery of the
tomb. Even was I glad that the poor Arab who fell
down the cliff and lay dead below, lay in the sunlight
and not in that gloomy cavern. I would fain have gone
with my companions to seek him and give him sepulture
144

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

of some kind; but the Sheik made light of it, and sent
two of his men to see to it whilst we went on our way.

"That night as we camped, one of the men only re-
turned, saying that a lion of the desert had killed his
companion after that they had buried the dead man in
a deep s.and without the valley, and had covered the spot
where he lay with many great rocks, so that jackals or
other preying beasts might not dig him up again as is
their wont.

"Later, in the light of the fire round which the men
sat or lay, I saw him exhibit to his fellows something
white which they seemed to regard with special awe and
reverence. So I drew near silently, and saw that it was
none other than the white hand of the mummy which
had lain protecting the Jewel in the great sarcophagus.
I heard the Bedouin tell how he had found it on the
body of him who had fallen from the cliff. There was
no mistaking it, for there were the seven fingers which I
had noted before. This man must have wrenched it
off the dead body whilst his chief and I were otherwise
engaged; and from the awe of the others I doubted not
that he had hoped to use it as an Amulet, or charm.
Whereas, if powers it had, they were not for him who
had taken it from the dead ; since his death followed, hard
upon his theft. Already his Amulet had had an awesome
baptism ; for the wrist of the dead hand was stained with
red as though it had been dipped in recent blood.

"That night I. was in certain fear lest there should
be some violence done to me; for if the poor dead hand
was so valued as a charm, what must be the worth in
such wise of the rare Jewel which it had guarded. Though
only the chief knew of it, my doubt was perhaps even
greater; for he could so order matters as to have me at
145

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

his mercy when he would. I guarded myself, therefore,
with wakefulness so well as I could, determined that at
my earliest opportunity I should leave this party, and
complete my journeying home. First to the Nile bank,
and then down its course by boat to Alexandria; with
other guides who knew not what strange matters I had
with me.

"At last there came over me a disposition of sleep, so
potent that I felt it would be resistless. Fearing attack,
or that being searched in my sleep the Bedouin might
find the Star Jewel which he had seen me place with
others in my dress, I took it out unobserved and held
it in my hand. It seemed to give back the light of the
flickering fire and the light of the stars — for there was
no moon — with equal fidelity; and I could note that it
was graven deeply with certain signs such as I had seen
in the tomb. As I sank into the unconsciousness of
sleep, the graven Star Jewel was hidden in the hollow
of my clenched hand.

"I waked out of sleep with the light of the morning
sun on my face. I sat up and looked around me. The
fire was out, and the camp was desolate; save for one
figure which lay prone close to me. It was that of the
Arab chief, who lay on his back, dead. His face was
almost black; and his eyes were open, and staring hor-
ribly up at the sky, as though he saw there some dread-
ful vision. He had evidently been strangled; for on
looking, I found on his throat the red marks where
fingers had pressed. There seemed so many of these
marks that I counted them. There were seven; and
all parallel, except the tlmmb mark, as though made
with one hand. This thrilled me as I thought of the
mummy hand with the seven fingers.
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The Jewel of Secen Stars

" Even there, in the open desert, it seemed as if there
could be enchantments!

"In my surprise, as I bent over him, I opened my
right hand, which up to now I had held shut with the feel-
ing, instinctive even in sleep, of keeping safe that which
it held. As I did so, the Star Jewel held there fell out
and struck the dead man on the mouth. Mirabile dictu
there came forth at once from the dead mouth a great
gush of blood, in which the red jewel was for the moment
lost. I turned the dead man over to look for it, and
found that he lay with his right hand bent under him
as though he had fallen on it ; and in it he held a great
knife, keen of point and edge, such as Arabs carry at the
belt. It may have been that he was about to murder
me when vengeance came on him, whether from man or
God, or the Gods of Old, I know not. Suffice it, that
when I found my Ruby Jewel, which shone up as a living
star from the mess of blood wherein it lay, I paused not,
but fled from the place. I journeyed on alone through
the hot desert ; till, by God's grace, I came upon an Arab
tribe camping by a well, who gave me salt. With them
I rested till they had set me on my way.

"I know not what became of the mummy hand, or of
those who had it. What strife, or suspicion, or disaster,
or greed went with it I know not ; but some such cause
there must have been, since those who had it fled with it.
It doubtless is used as a charm of potence by some desert
tribe.

"At the earliest opportunity I made examination of
the Star Ruby as I wished to try to understand what was
graven on it. The symbols — whose meaning, however,
I could not understand — were as follows . . ."

Twice, whilst I had been reading this engrossing nar-
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The Jewel of Seoen Stars

rative, I had thought that I had seen across the page
streaks of shade, which the weirdness of the subject
had made to seem like the shadow of a hand. On the
first of these occasions I found that the illusion came
from the fringe of green silk around the lamp; but on
the second I had looked up, and my eyes had lit on the
mummy hand across the room on which the starlight
was falling under the edge of the blind. It was of little
wonder that I had connected it with such a narrative;
for if my eyes told me truly, here, in this room with me,
was the very hand of which the traveller Van Huyn had
written. I looked over at the bed; and it comforted me
to think that the Nurse still sat there, calm and wakeful.
At such a time, with such surroundings, during such a
narrative, it was well to have assurance of the presence
of some living person.

I sat looking at the book on the table before me ; and
so many strange thoughts crowded on me that my mind
began to whirl. It was almost as if the light on the
white fingers in front of me was beginning to have some
hypnotic effect. All at once, all thoughts seemed to
stop; and for an instant the world and time stood still.

There lay a real hand across the book! What was
there to so overcome me, as was the case? I knew the
hand that I saw on the book — and loved it. Margaret
Trelawny's hand was a joy to me to see — to touch; and
yet at that moment, coming after other marvellous
things, it had a strangely moving effect on me. This
was but momentary, however, and had passed even
before her voice had reached me.

"What disturbs you? What are you staring at the
book for ? I thought for an instant that you must have
been overcome again!" I jumped up.
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The Jewel of Seuen Stars

"I was reading," I said, "an old book from the li-
brary." As I spoke I closed it and put it under my
arm. "I shall now put it back, as I understand that
your Father wishes all things, especially books, kept in
their proper places." My words were intentionally mis-
leading; for I did not wish her to know what I was read-
ing, and thought it best not to wake her curiosity by
leaving the book about. I went away, but not to the
library ; I left the book in my room where I could get it
when I had had my sleep in the day. When I returned
Nurse Kennedy was ready to go to bed ; so Miss Trelawny
watched with me in the room. I did not want any book
whilst she was present. We sat close together, and
talked in a whisper whilst the moments flew by. It was
with surprise that I noted the edge of the curtains
changing from grey to yellow light. What we talked
of had nothing to do with the sick man, except in so far
that all which concerned his daughter must ultimately
concern him. But it had nothing to say to Egypt, or
mummies, or the dead, or caves, or Bedouin chiefs. I
could well take note in the growing light that Margaret's
hand had not seven fingers, but five; for it lay in mine!

When Doctor Winchester arrived in the morning and
had made his visit to his patient, he came to see me as
I sat in the dining-room having a little meal — breakfast
or supper, I hardly knew which it was— before I went
to He down. Mr. Corbeck came in at the same time;
and we resumed our conversation where we had left it
the night before. I told Mr. Corbeck that I had read
the chapter about the finding of the tomb, and that I
thought Doctor Winchester should read it, too. The
latter said that, if he might, he would take it with him;
he had that morning to make a railway journey to
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The Jetuel o£ Semen Stars

Ipswich, and would read it on the train. He said he
would bring it back with him when he came again in
the evening. I went up to my room to bring it down ;
but I could not find it anywhere. I had a distinct rec-
ollection of having seen it where I had placed it on
the little table beside my bed, when I had come up
after my duty in the sick-room. It was very strange;
for the book was not of a kind that any of the servants
would be likely to take. I had to come back and ex-
plain to the others that I could not find it.

When Doctor Winchester had gone, Mr. Corbeck, who
seemed to know the Dutchman's work by heart, talked
the whole matter over with me. I told him that I was
interrupted by a change of nurses, just as I had come
to the description of the ring. He smiled as he said:

"So far as that is concerned, you need not be disap-
pointed. Not in Van Huyn's time, nor for nearly two
centuries later, could the meaning of that engraving
have been understood. It was only when the work was
taken up and followed by Young and Champollion, by
Birch and Lepsius and Rosellini and Salvolini, by Ma-
riette Bey and by Wallis Budge and Flinders Petrie and
the other scholars of their times that great results ensued,
and that the true meaning of hieroglyphic was known.

"Later, I shall explain to you, if Mr. Trelawny does
not explain it himself, or if he does not forbid me to,
what it means in that particular place. I think it will
be better for you to know what followed Van Huyn's
narrative; for with the description of the stone, and the
account of his bringing it to Holland at the termination
of his travels, the episode ends. Ends so far as his book
is concerned. The chief thing about the book is that
it set others thinking — and acting. Amongst them were
I5°

The Jewel of Seuen Stars

Mr. Trelawny and myself. Mr. Trelawny is a good
linguist of the Orient, but he does not know Northern
tongues. As for me I have a faculty for learning lan-
guages ; and when I was pursuing my studies in Leyden
I learned Dutch so that I might more easily make
references in the library there. Thus it was, that at the
very time when Mr. Trelawny, who, in making his great
collection of works on Egypt, had, through a bookseller's
catalogue, acquired this volume with the manuscript
translation, was studying it, I was reading another copy,
in the original Dutch, in Leyden. We were both struck
by the description of the lonely tomb in the rock; cut
so high up as to be inaccessible to ordinary seekers : with
alt means of reaching it carefully obliterated; and yet
with such an elaborate ornamentation of the smoothed
surface of the cliff as Van Huyn has described. It also
struck us both as an odd thing— for in the years between
Van Huyn's time and our own the general knowledge
of Egyptian curios and records has increased marvel-
lously— that in the case of such a tomb, made in such
a place, and which must have cost an immense sum of
money, there was no seeming record or effigy to point
out who lay within. Moreover, the very name of the
place, 'the Valley of the Sorcerer,' had, in a prosaic age,
attractions of its own. When we met, which we did
through his seeking the assistance of other Egyptologists
in his work, we talked over this as we did over many
other things; and we determined to make search for the
mysterious valley. Whilst we were waiting to start on
the travel, for many things were required which Mr.
Trelawny undertook to see to himself, I went to Holland
to try if I could by any traces verify Van Huyn's narra-
tive. I went straight to Hoorn, and set patiently to

The Jewel o£ Seoen Stars

work to find the house of the traveller and his descend-
ants, if any. I need not trouble you with details of my
seeking — and finding. Hoorn is a place that has not
changed much since Van Huyn's time, except that it
has lost the place which it held amongst commercial
cities. Its externals are such as they had been then;
in such a sleepy old place a century or two does not
count for much. I found the house, and discovered
that none of the descendants were alive. I searched
records; but only to one end — death and extinction.
Then I set me to work to find what had become of his
treasures ; for that such a traveller must have had great
treasures was apparent. I traced a good many to
museums in Leyden, Utrecht, and Amsterdam ; and some
few to the private houses of rich collectors. At last, in
the shop of an old watchmaker and jeweller at Hoorn, I
found what he considered his chiefest treasure: a great
ruby, with seven stars, carven like a scarab , and engraven
with hieroglyphics. The old man did not know hiero-
glyphic character, and in his old-world, sleepy life, the
philological discoveries of recent years had not reached
him. He did not know anything of Van Huyn, except
that such a person had been, and that his name was,
during two centuries, venerated in the town as a great
traveller. He valued the jewel as only a rare stone,
spoiled in part by the cutting; and though he was at
first loth to part with such an unique gem, he became
amenable ultimately to commercial reason. I had a
full purse, since I bought for Mr. Trelawny, who is, as
I suppose you know, immensely wealthy. I was shortly
on my way back to London, with the Star Ruby safe in
my pocket-book; and in my heart a joy and exultation
which knew no bounds.

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

"For here we were with proof of Van Huyn's wonder-
ful story.

"The Jewel was put in security in Mr. Trelawny's
great safe; and we started out on our journey of ex-
ploration in full hope.

"Mr. Trelawny was, at the last, loth to leave his young
wife whom he dearly loved; but she, who loved him
equally, knew his longing to prosecute the search. So
keeping to herself, as all good women do, all her anxieties
— which in her case were special — she bade him follow
out his bent.

A Queen's Tomb

MR. TRELAWNY'S hope was at least as great as
my own. He is not so volatile a man as I am,
prone to tips and downs of hope and despair; but he has
a fixed purpose which crystallises hope into belief. At
times I had feared that there might have been two such
stones, or that the adventures of Van Huyn were travel-
ler's fictions, based on some ordinary acquisition of the
curio in Alexandria or Cairo, or London or Amsterdam.
But Mr. Trelawny never faltered in his belief. We had
many things to distract our minds from belief or dis-
belief. This was soon after Arabi Pasha's revolt, and
Egypt was no safe place for travellers, especially if they
were English. But Mr. Trelawny is a fearless man; and
I almost come to think at times that I am not a coward
myself. We got together a band of Arabs whom one
or other of us had known in former trips to the desert,
and whom we could trust; that is, we did not distrust
them as much as others. We were numerous enough to
protect ourselves from chance marauding bands, and
we took with us large impedimenta. We had secured
the consent and passive co-operation of the officials still
friendly to Britain ; in the acquiring of which consent I
need hardly say that Mr. Trelawny's riches were of chief
importance. We found our way in dhahabiyehs to
Aswan; whence, having got some Arabs from the Sheik
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The Jetcel of Seuen Stars

and having given our usual backsheesh, we set out on
our journey through the desert.

"Well, after much wandering and trying every wind-
ing in the interminable jumble of hills, we came at last
at nightfall on just such a valley as Van Huyn had
described. A valley with high, steep cliffs ; narrowing in
the centre, and widening out to the eastern and western
ends. At daylight we were opposite the cliff and could
easily note the opening high up in the rock, and the
hieroglyphic figures which were evidently intended orig-
inally to conceal it.

"But the signs which had baffled Van Huyn and
those of his time — and later, were no secrets to us. The
host of scholars who have given their brains and their
lives to this work, had wrested open the mysterious
prison-house of Egyptian language. On the hewn face
of the rocky cliff we, who had learned the secrets, could
read what the Theban priesthood had had there in-
scribed nearly fifty centuries before.

"For that the external inscription was the work of
the priesthood- — and a hostile priesthood at that — there
could be no living doubt. The inscription on the rock,
written in hieroglyphic, ran thus:

"'Hither the Gods come not at any summons. The
"Nameless One "has insulted them and is for ever alone.
Go not nigh, lest their vengeance wither you away!'

"The warning must have been a terribly potent one
at the time it was written and for thousands of years
afterwards; even when the language in which it was
given had become a dead mystery to the people of the
land. The tradition of such a terror lasts longer than
its cause. Even in the symbols used there was an added
significance of alliteration. 'For ever' is given in the
i5S

The Jewel o£ Seoen Stars

hieroglyphics as 'millions of years.' This symbol was
repeated nine times, in three groups of three, and after
each group a symbol of the Upper World, the Under
World, and the Sky. So that for this Lonely One there
could be, through the vengeance of all the Gods, resur-
rection in neither the World of Sunlight, in the World of
the Dead, or for the soul in the region of the Gods.

"Neither Mr. Trelawny nor I dared to tell any of our
people what the writing meant. For though they did not
believe in the religion whence the curse came, or in the
Gods whose vengeance was threatened ; yet they were so
superstitious that they would probably, had they known
of it, have thrown up the whole task and run away.

"Their ignorance, however, and our discretion pre-
served us. We made an encampment close at hand;
but behind a jutting rock a little further along the valley,
so that they might not have the inscription always be-
fore them. For even that traditional name of the place:
'The Valley of the Sorcerer,' had a fear for them; and
for us through them. With the timber which we had
brought, we made a ladder up the face of the rock. We
hung a pulley on a beam fixed to project from the top
of the cliff. We found the great slab of rock, which
formed the door, placed clumsily in its place and secured
by a few stones. Its own weight kept it in safe po-
sition. In order to enter, we had to push it in; and we
passed over it. We found the great coil of chain which
Van Huyn had described fastened into the rock. There
were, however, abundant evidences amid the wreckage
of the great stone door, which had revolved on iron
hinges at top and bottom, that ample provision had
been originally made for closing and fastening it from
within.

156

The jewel of Seoen Stars

"Mr. Trelawny and I went alone into the tomb. We
had brought plenty of lights with us; and we fixed them
as we went along. We wished to get a complete survey
at first, and then make examination of all in detail. As
we went on, we were filled with ever-increasing wonder
and delight. The tomb was one of the most magnifi-
cent and beautiful which either of us had ever seen.
From the elaborate nature of the sculpture and paintings,
and the perfection of the workmanship, it was evident
that the tomb was prepared during the life-time of her
for whose resting-place it was intended. The drawing
of the hieroglyphic pictures was fine, and the coloring
superb; and in that high cavern, far away from even
the damp of the Nile-flood, all was as fresh as when the
artists had laid down their palettes. There was one
thing which we could not avoid seeing. That although
the cutting on the outside rock was the work of the
priesthood, the smoothing of the cliff face was probably
a part of the tomb -builder's original design. The sym-
bolism of the painting and cutting within all gave the
same idea. The outer cavern, partly natural and partly
hewn, was regarded architecturally as only an ante-
chamber. At the end of it, so that it would face the
east, was a pillared portico, hewn out of the solid rock.
The pillars were massive and were seven-sided, a thing
which we had not come across in any other tomb. Sculpt-
ured on the architrave was the Boat of the Moon, con-
taining Hathor, cow-headed and bearing the disk and
plumes, and the dog-headed Hapi, the God of the
North. It was steered by Harpocrates towards the
north, represented by the Pole Star surrounded by
Draco and Ursa Major. In the latter the stars that form
what we call the 'Plough ' were cut larger than any of
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The Jewel of Seoen Stars

the other stars; and were filled with gold so that, in the
leaping light of the torches, they seemed to flame with
a special significance. Passing within the portico, we
found two of the architectural features of a rock tomb,
the Chamber, or Chapel, and the Pit, all complete as Van
Huyn had noticed — though in his day the names given
to these parts by the Egyptians of old were unknown.

"The Stele, or record, which had its place low down
on the western wall, was so remarkable that we examined
it minutely, even before going on our way to find the
mummy which was the object of our search. This
Stele was a great slab of lapis lazuli, cut all over with
hieroglyphic figures of small size and of much beauty.
The cutting was filled in with some cement of exceeding
fineness, and of the color of pure vermilion. The in-
scription began:

'"Tera, Queen of the Egypts, daughter of Antef.
Monarch of the North and the South.' 'Daughter of
the Sun,' 'Queen of the Diadems.'

"It then set out, in full record, the history of her
life and reign.

"The signs of sovereignty were given with a truly
feminine profusion of adornment. The united Crowns
of Upper and Lower Egypt were, in especial, cut with
exquisite precision. It was new to us both to find
the Hejet and the Dasher — the White and the Red
crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt — on the Stele of a
queen ; for it was a rule, without exception in the records,
that in ancient Egypt either crown was worn only by
a king; though they are to be found on goddesses.
Later on we came across an explanation, of which I
shall say more presently.

" Such an inscription was in itself a matter so startling

The Jetoel off Seoen Stars

as to arrest attention from any one anywhere at any
time ; but you can have no conception of the effect which
it had upon us. Though our eyes were not the first
which had seen it, they were the first which could see it
with understanding since first the slab of rock was
fixed in the cliff opening nearly five thousand years
before. To us was given to read this message from the
dead. This message of one who had warred against
the Gods of Old, and claimed to have controlled them
at a time when the hierarchy professed to be the only
means of exciting their fears or gaining their good
will.

"The walls of the upper chamber of the Pit and the
sarcophagus Chamber were profusely inscribed; all the
inscriptions, except that on the. Stele, being colored
with bluish-green pigment. The effect when seen side-
ways as the eye caught the green facets, was that of an
old, discolored Indian turquoise.

"We descended the Pit by the aid of the tackle we
had brought with us. Trelawny went first. It was a
deep pit, more than seventy feet; but it had never been
filled up. The passage at the bottom sloped up to the
sarcophagus Chamber, and was longer than is usually
found. It had not been walled up.

"Within, we found a great sarcophagus of yellow
stone. But that I need not describe; you have seen it
in Mr. Trelawny's chamber. The cover of it lay on the
ground; it had not been cemented, and was just as
Van Huyn had described it. Needless to say, we were
excited as we looked within. There was, however, one
sense of disappointment. I could not help feeling how
different must have been the sight which met the
Dutch traveller's eyes when he looked within and
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The jeicei of? Secen Stars

found that white hand lying lifelike above the shroud-
ing mummy cloths.

"But there was a thrill to us which came not to
Van Huyn! A part of the arm was there, white and
ivory like; but the end of the wrist was covered with
dried blood! It was as though the body had bled after
death! The jagged ends of the broken wrist were rough
with the clotted blood; through this the white bone,
sticking out, looked like matrix of opal. The blood had
streamed down and stained the brown wrappings as
with rust. Here, then, was full confirmation of the
narrative. With such evidence of the narrator's truth
before us, we could not doubt the other matters which
he had told, such as the blood on the mummy hand, or
marks of the seven fingers on the throat of the strangled
Sheik.

"I shall not trouble you with details of all we saw,
or how we learned all we knew. Part of it was from
knowledge common to scholars; part we read on the
Stele in the tomb, and in the sculptures and hieroglyphic
paintings on the walls.

"Queen Tera was of the Eleventh, or 'Theban,'
Dynasty of Egyptian Kings which held sway between
twenty-ninth and twenty-fifth centuries before Christ.
She succeeded as the only child of her father, Antef.
She must have been a girl of extraordinary character as
well as ability, for she was but a young girl when her
father died. Her youth and sex encouraged the am-
bitious priesthood, which had then achieved immense
power. By their wealth and numbers and learning
they dominated all Egypt, more especially the Upper
portion. They were then secretly ready to make an
effort for the achievement of their bold and long-con-
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The Jetoel of Seuen Stars

sidered design: that of transferring the governing power
from a Kingship to a Hierarchy. But King Antef had
suspected some such movement, and had taken the
precaution of securing to his daughter the allegiance
of the army. He had also had her taught statecraft,
and had even made her learned in the lore of the very
priests themselves. He had used those of one cult
against the other; each being hopeful of some present
gain on its own part by the influence of the King, or of
some ultimate gain from its own influence over his
daughter. Thus the Princess had been brought up
amongst scribes, and was herself no mean artist. Many
of these things were told on the walls in picture or
in hieroglyphic writing of great beauty; and we came
to the conclusion that not a few. of them had been done
by the Princess herself. It was not without cause that
she was inscribed on the Stele as ' Protector of the Arts.'
" But the King had gone to further lengths, and had
had his daughter taught magic, by which she had
power over Sleep and Will. This was real magic—
'black' magic; not the magic of the temples, which, I
may explain, was of the harmless or 'white' order, and
was intended to impress rather than to effect. She had
been an apt pupil; and had gone further than her
teachers. Her power and her resources had given her
great opportunities, of whicb she had availed herself to
the full. She had won secrets from nature in strange
ways; and had even gone to the length of going down
into the tomb herself, having been swathed and coffined
and left as dead for a whole month. The priests had
tried to make out that the real Princess Tera had died
in the experiment, and that another girl had been
substituted ; but she had conclusively proved theiT
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error. All this was told in pictures and writings of great
merit. It was probably in her time that the impulse
was given in the restoring the artistic greatness of the
Fourth Dynasty which had found its perfection in the
days of Chufu.

"In the Chamber of the sarcophagus were pictures
and writings to show that she had achieved victory over
Sleep. Indeed, there was everywhere a symbolism,
wonderful even in a land and an age of symbolism.
Prominence was given to the fact that she, though a
Queen, claimed all the privileges of kingship and mas-
culinity. In one place she was pictured in man's dress,
and wearing the White and Red Crowns. In the follow-
ing picture she was in female dress, but still wearing
the Crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt, while the
discarded male raiment lay at her feet. In every
picture where hope, or aim, or resurrection was ex-
pressed there was the added symbol of the North; and
in many places — always in representations of important
events, past, present, or future— was a grouping of the
stars of the Plough. She evidently regarded this con-
stellation as in some way peculiarly associated with
herself; for it was stated that at the moment of her
birth the first star of it had risen above the horizon.

"Perhaps the most remarkable statement in the
records, both on the Stele and in the mural writings,
was that Queen Tera had power to compel the Gods.
This, by the way, was not an isolated belief in Egyptian
history; but was different in its cause. She had en-
graved on a ruby, carven like a scarab, and having
seven stars of seven points, Master Words to compel
all the Gods, both of the Upper and the Under Worlds.

"In the statement it was plainly set forth that the
162

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

hatred of the priests was, she knew, stored up for her,
and that they would after her death try to suppress
her name. This was a terrible revenge, I may tell you,
in Egyptian mythology; for without a name no one
can after death be introduced to the Gods, or have
prayers said for him. Therefore, she had intended her
resurrection to be after long time and in a more northern
land, under the constellation whose seven stars had
ruled her birth. To this end, her hand was to be in the
air — 'unwrapped* — and in it the Jewel of Seven Stars,
so that wherever was air she might move even as her
Ka could move! This, after thinking It over, Mr.
Trelawny and I agreed meant that her body could
become astral at command, and so move, particle by
particle, and become whole again when and where re-
quired. Then there was a piece of writing in which
allusion was made to a chest or casket in which were
contained all the Gods, and Will, and Sleep. The box
was mentioned as with seven sides. It was not much
of a surprise to us when, underneath the feet of the
mummy, we found the seven-sided casket, which you
have also seen in Mr. Trelawny's room. On the under-
neath part of the wrapping-linen of the left foot was
painted, in the same vermilion color as that used in the
Stele, the hieroglyphic symbol for much water: j^=x,
and underneath the right foot the symbol of the earth:
II. We made out the symbolism to be that her body,
immortal and transferable at will, ruled both the land
and water, air and fire — the latter being exemplified by
the light of the Jewel Stone, and further by the flint
and iron which lay outside the mummy wrappings.

"As we lifted the casket from the sarcophagus, we
noticed on its sides the strange protuberances which
163

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

you have already seen; but we were unable at the time
to account for them. There were a few amulets in the
sarcophagus, but none of any special worth or
significance. We took it that if there were such, they
were within the wrappings ; or more probably in the
strange casket underneath the mummy's feet. This,
however, we could not open. There were signs of there
being a cover; certainly the upper portion and the
lower were each in one piece. The fine line, a little way
from the top, appeared to be where the cover was fixed;
but it was made with such exquisite fineness and finish
that the joining could hardly be seen. Certainly the
top could not be moved. "We took it, that it was in
some way fastened from within. I tell you all this in
order that you may understand things with which you
may be in contact later. You must suspend your
judgment entirely. Such strange things have happened
regarding this mummy and all around it, that there is a
necessity for new belief somewhere. It is absolutely
impossible to reconcile certain things which have hap-
pened with the ordinary currents of life or knowledge.
"We stayed around the Valley of the Sorcerer, till
we had copied roughly all the drawings and writings
on the walls, ceiling, and floor. We took with us the
Stele of lapis lazuli, whose graven record was colored
with vermilion pigment. We took the sarcophagus and
the mummy; the stone chest with the alabaster jars;
the tables of blood-stone and alabaster and onyx and
carnelian; and the ivory pillow whose arch rested on
'buckles,' round each of which was twisted an urseus
wrought in gold. We took all the articles which lay in
the Chapel, and the Mummy Pit; the wooden boats with
crews and the ushaptiu figures, and the symbolic amulets.
164

The Jeicel of Seoen Star3

"When coming away we took down the ladders, and
at a distance buried them in the sand tinder a cliff,
which we noted so that if necessary we might find them
again. Then with our heavy baggage, we set out on
our laborious journey back to the Nile. It was no easy
task, I tell you, to bring the case with those great
sarcophagi over the desert. We had a rough cart and
sufficient men to draw it; but the progress seemed
terribly slow, for we were anxious to get our treasures
into a place of safety. The night was an anxious time
with us, for we feared attack from some marauding
band. But more still we feared some of those with us.
They were, after all, but predatory, unscrupulous men;
and we had with us a considerable bulk of precious
things. They, or at least the dangerous ones amongst
them, did not know why it was so precious ; they took
it for granted that it was material treasure of some kind
that we carried. We had taken the mummy from the
sarcophagus, and packed it for safety of travel in a
separate case. During the first night two attempts
were made to steal things from the cart ; and two men
were found dead in the morning.

"On the second night there came on a violent storm,
one of those terrible simoons of the desert which makes
one feel his helplessness. We were overwhelmed with
the drifting sand. Some of our Bedouins had fled before
the storm, hoping to find shelter ; the rest of us, wrapped
in our bournous, endured with what patience we could.
In the morning, when the storm had passed, we re-
covered from under the piles of sand what we could of
our impedimenta. We found the case in which the
mummy had been packed all broken, but the mummy
itself could nowhere be found. We searched every-

i65

The Jetoel of Seuen Stars

where around, and dug up the sand which had piled
around us; but in vain. We did not know what to do,
for Trelawny had his heart set on taking home that
mummy. "We waited a whole day in hopes that the
Bedouins, who had fled, would return; we had a blind
hope that they might have in some way removed the
mummy from the cart, and would restore it. That
night, just before dawn, Mr. Trelawny woke me up and
whispered in my ear:

'"We must go back to the tomb in the Valley of the
Sorcerer. Show no hesitation in the morning when I
give the orders! If you ask any questions as to where
we are going it will create suspicion, and will defeat our
purpose.'

'"All right!' I answered. 'But why shall we go there?'
His answer seemed to thrill through me as though it
had struck some chord ready tuned within.

' ' ' We shall find the mummy there ! I am sure of it !'
Then anticipating doubt or argument he added:

" ' Wait, and you shall see !' and he sank back into his
blanket again.

"The Arabs were surprised when we retraced our
steps; and some of them were not satisfied. There was
a good deal of friction, and there were several desertions;
so that it was with a diminished following that we took
our way eastward again. At first the Sheik did not
manifest any curiosity as to our definite destination;
but when it became apparent that we were again mak-
ing for the Valley of the Sorcerer, he too showed con-
cern. This grew as we drew near; till finally at the
entrance of the valley he halted and refused to go
further. He said he would await our return if we chose
to go on alone. That he would wait three days; but if
1 66

The Jewel o£ Seoen Stars

by that time we had not returned he would leave. No
offer of money would tempt him to depart from this
resolution. The only concession he would make was
that he would find the ladders and bring them near the
cliff. This he did; and then with the rest of the troop,
he went back to wait at the entrance of the valley.

"Mr. Trelawny and I took ropes and torches, and
again ascended to the tomb. It was evident that some
one had been there in our absence, for the stone slab
which protected the entrance to the tomb was lying
flat inside, and a rope was dangling from the cliff summit.
Within, there was another rope hanging into the shaft
of the Mummy Pit. We looked at each other; but
neither said a word. We fixed our own rope, and as
arranged Trelawny descended first, I following at once.
It was not till we stood together at the foot of the shaft
that the thought flashed across me that we might be in
some sort of a trap; that some one might descend the
,rope from the cliff, and by cutting the rope by which
we had lowered ourselves into the Pit, bury us there
alive. The thought was horrifying; but it was too late
to do anything. I remained silent. We both had
torches, so that there was ample light as we passed
through the passage and entered the Chamber where the
sarcophagus had stood. The first thing noticeable was
the emptiness of the place. Despite all its magnificent
adornment, the tomb was made a desolation by the
absence of the great sarcophagus, to hold which it was
hewn in the rock; of the chest with the alabaster jars;
of the tables which had held the implements and food
for the use of the dead, and the ushaptiu figures.

"It was made more infinitely desolate still by the
shrouded figure of the mummy of Queen Tera which

i67

The jewel of Seoen Stars

lay on the floor where the great sarcophagus had stood !
Beside it lay, in the strange contorted attitudes of
violent death, three of the Arabs who had deserted from
our party. Their faces were black, and their hands
and necks were smeared with blood which had burst
from mouth and nose and eyes.

"On the throat of each were the marks, now blacken-
ing, of a hand of seven fingers.

"Trelawny and I drew close, and clutched each other
in awe and fear as we looked.

"For, most wonderful of all, across the breast of the
mummied Queen lay a hand of seven fingers, ivory
white, the wrist only showing a scar like a jagged red
line, from which seemed to depend drops of blood.

XII

The Magic Coffer

" "f 11 THEN we recovered our amazement, which
V V seemed to last unduly long, we did not lose any
time carrying the mummy through the passage, and hoist-
ing it up the Pit shaft. I went first, to receive it at the
top. As I looked down, I saw Mr. Trelawny lift the
severed hand and put it in his breast, manifestly to save
it from being injured or lost. We left the dead Arabs
where they lay. With our ropes we lowered our precious
burden to the ground; and then took it to the entrance
of the valley where our escort was to wait. To our
astonishment we found them on the move. When we
remonstrated with the Sheik, he answered that he had ful-
filled his contract to the letter; he had waited the three
days as arranged. I thought that he was lying to cover
up his base intention of deserting us; and I found when
we compared notes that Trelawny had the same sus-
picion. It was not till we arrived at Cairo that we
found he was correct. It was the 3rd of November r884
when we entered the Mummy Pit for the second time;
we had reason to remember the date.

"We had lost three whole days of our reckoning — out
of our lives — whilst we had stood wondering in that
chamber of the dead. Was it strange, then, that we had
a superstitious feeling with regard to the dead Queen Tera
and all belonging to her? Is it any wonder that it rests

169

The Jetuel oi? Seoen Stars

with us now, with a bewildering sense of some power
outside ourselves or our comprehension? Will it be any
wonder if it go down to the grave with us at the appointed
time? If, indeed, there be any graves for us who have
robbed the grave!" He was silent for quite a minute
before he went on:

"We got to Cairo all right, and from there to Alexan-
dria where we were to take ship by the Messagerie ser-
vice to Marseilles, and go thence by express to London.
But

"The best laid schemes o' mice and men
Gang aft agley."

At Alexandria, Trelawny found waiting a cable stating
that Mrs. Trelawny had died in giving birth to adaughter.

"The stricken husband hurried off at once by the
Orient Express; and I had to bring the treasures alone
to the desolate house. I got to London all safe; there
seemed to be some special good fortune to our journey.
When I got to this house, the funeral had long been over.
The child had been put out to nurse, and Mr. Trelawny
had so far recovered from the shock of his loss that he
had set himself to take up again the broken threads
of his life and his work. That he had had a shock, and
a bad one, was apparent. The sudden grey in his black
hair was proof enough in itself; but in addition, the
strong cast of his features had become set and stern.
Since he received that cable in the shipping office at
Alexandria I have never seen a happy smile on his face.

"Work is the best thing in such a case; and to his
work he devoted himself heart and soul. The strange
tragedy of his loss and gain— for the child was born after
the mother's death — took place during the time that
we stood in that trance in the Mummy Pit of Queen Tera.
170

The Jewel of Set>en Stars

It seemed to have become in some way associated with
his Egyptian studies, and more especially with the mys-
teries connected with the Queen. He told me very
little about his daughter; but that two forces struggled
in his mind regarding her "was apparent. I could see
that he loved, almost idolised her. Yet he could never
forget that her birth had cost her mother's life. Also,
there was something whose existence seemed to wring
his father heart, though he would never tell me what it
was. Again, he once said in a moment of relaxation of
his purpose of silence:

'"She is unlike her mother; but in both feature and
color she is a marvellous resemblance to the pictures of
Queen Tera!'

"He said that he had sent her away to people who
would care for her as he could not; and that till she
became a woman she should have all the simple pleas-
ures that a young girl might have, and that were best
for her. I would often have talked with him about her;
but he would never say much. Once he said to me:
'There are reasons why I should not speak more than is
necessary. Some day you will know — and understand!'
I respected his reticence; and beyond asking after her
on my return after a journey, I have never spoken of
her again. I had never seen her till I did so in your
presence.

"Well, when the treasures which we had — ah! —
taken from the tomb had been brought here, Mr. Tre-
lawny arranged their disposition himself. The mummy,
all except the severed hand, he placed in the great iron-
stone sarcophagus in the hall. This was wrought for
the Theban High Priest Uni, and is, as you may have
remarked, all inscribed with wonderful invocations to
171

The Jewel of Secen Stars

the old Gods of Egypt. The rest of the things from the
tomb he disposed about his own room, as you have seen.
Amongst them he placed, for special reasons of his own,
the mummy hand. 'I think he regards this as the most
sacred of his possessions, with perhaps one exception.
That is the carven ruby which he calls the 'Jewel of
Seven Stars,' which he keeps in that great safe which
is locked and guarded by various devices, as you know.

"I dare say you find this tedious; but I have had to
explain it, so that you should understand all up to the
present. It was a long time after my return with the
mummy of Queen Tera when Mr/Trelawny re-opened
the subject with me. He had been several times to
Egypt, sometimes with me and sometimes alone; and I
had been several trips, on my own account or for him.
But in all that time, nearly sixteen years, he never
mentioned the subject, unless when some pressing oc-
casion suggested, if it did not necessitate, a reference.

"One morning early he sent for me in a hurry; I was
then studying in the British Museum, and had rooms
in Hart Street. When I came, he was all on fire with
excitement. I had not seen him in such a glow since
before the news of his wife's death. He took me at
once into his room. The window blinds were down and
the shutters closed; not a ray of daylight came in. The
ordinary lights in the room were not lit, but there were
several powerful electric lamps, fifty candle-power at
least, arranged on one side of the room. The little
blood-stone table on which the heptagonal coffer stands
was drawn to the centre of the room. The coffer looked
exquisite in the glare of light which shone on it. It
actually seemed to glow as if lit in some way from
within.

172

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

"'What do you think of it?' he asked.

" ' It is like a jewel,' I answered. ' You may well call
it the "Sorcerer's Magic Coffer," if it often looks like
that. It almost seems to be alive.'

"'Do you know why it seems so?'

'"From the glare of the light, I suppose?'

" ' Light of course,' he answered, 'but it is rather the
disposition of light.' As he spoke he turned up the
ordinary lights of the room and switched off the special
ones. The effect on the stone box was surprising ; in a
second it lost all its glowing effect. It was, as always,
a very beautiful stone, but it was stone and no more.

"'Do you notice anything in the arrangement of the
lamps?' he asked.

"'No!'

"'They were in the shape of the stars in the Plough;
as the stars are in the ruby!' The statement came to
me with a certain sense of conviction. I do not know
why, except that there had been so many mysterious
associations with the mummy and all belonging to it
that any new one seemed enlightening. I listened as
Trelawny went on to explain:

'"For sixteen years I have never ceased to think of
that adventure, or to try to find a clue to the mysteries
which came before us; but never until last night did I
seem to find a solution. I think I must have dreamed
of it, for I woke all on fire about it. I jumped out of
bed with a determination of doing something, before I
quite knew what it was that I wished to do. Then, all
at once, the purpose was clear before me. There were
allusions in the writing on the walls of the tomb to the
seven stars of the Great Bear that go to make up the
Plough ; and the North was again and again emphasised.
'73

The Jetoel of Set>en Stars

The same symbols were repeated with regard to the
'Magic Box' as we called it. We had already noticed
those peculiar translucent spaces in the stone of the box.
You remember the hieroglyphic writing had told that
the jewel came from the heart of an aerolite, and that the
coffer was cut from it also. It might be, I thought,
that the light of the seven stars, shining in the right
direction, might have some effect on the box, or some-
thing within it. I raised the blind and looked out.
The Plough was high in the heavens, and both its stars
and the Pole Star were straight opposite the window.
I pulled the table with the coffer out into the light, and
shifted it until the translucent patches were in the direc-
tion of the stars. Instantly the box began to glow, as
you saw it under the lamps, though but slightly. I
waited and waited ; but the sky clouded over, and the
light died away. So I got wires and lamps — you know
how often I use them in experiments — and tried the
effect of electric light. It took me some time to get the
lamps properly placed, so that they would correspond
to the parts of the stone, but the moment I got them
right the whole thing began to glow as you have
seen it.

'"I could get no further, however. There was evi-
dently something wanting. All at once it came to me
that if light could have some effect there should be in
the tomb some means of producing light; for there
could not be starlight in the Mummy Pit in the cavern.
Then the whole thing seemed to become clear. On the
blood-stone table which has a hollow carved in its top,
into which the bottom of the coffer fits, I laid the Magic
Coffer; and I at once saw that the odd protuberances
so carefully wrought in the substance of the stone cor-
174

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

responded in a way to the stars in the constellation.
These, then, were to hold lights.

"'Eureka! I cried. All we want now is the lamps.
I tried placing the electric lights on, or close to, the pro-
tuberances. But the glow never came to the stone. So
the conviction grew on me that there were special lamps
made for the purpose. If we could find them, a step on
the road to solving the mystery should be gained.'

'"But what about the lamps?' I asked. 'Where are
they? When are we to discover them? How are we
to know them if we do find them? What — '

" He stopped me at once:

"'One thing at a time!' he said, quietly. 'Your first
question contains all the rest. Where are these lamps?
I shall tell you: In the tomb!'

"'In the tomb!' I repeated in surprise. 'Why you
and I searched the place ourselves from end to end;
and there was not a sign of a lamp. Not a sign of any-
thing remaining when we came away the first time ; or
on the second, except the bodies of the Arabs.'

"Whilst I was speaking, he had uncoiled some large
sheets of paper. These he spread out on the great table,
keeping their edges down with books and weights. I
knew them at a glance; they were the careful copies
which he had made of our first transcripts from the
writing in the tomb. When he had ail ready, he turned
to me and said slowly:

Do you remember wondering, when we examined
the tomb, at the lack of one thing which is usually found
in such a tomb?'

"'Yes! There was no serdab.'

"The Serdab, I may perhaps explain," said Mr. Cor-
beck to me, "is a sort of niche built or hewn in the
i75

The Jetcel off Seuen Stars

wall of a tomb. Those which have as yet been ex-
amined bear no inscriptions, and contain only effigies
of the dead for whom the tomb was made." Then he
went on with his narrative :

"Trelawny, when he saw that I had caught his mean-
ing, went on speaking with something of his old enthu-
siasm :

"'I have come to the conclusion that there must be
a serdab — a secret one. We were dull not to have
thought of it before. We might have known that the
maker of such a tomb — a woman, who had shown in
other ways such a sense of beauty and completeness,
and who had finished every detail with a feminine rich-
ness of elaboration — would not have neglected such an
architectural feature Even if it had not its own special
significance in ritual, she would have had it as an adorn-
ment. Others had had it, and she liked her own work
to be complete. Depend upon it, there was — there is
—a serdab ; and that in it, when it is discovered, we shall
find the lamps. Of course, had we known then what
we now know or at all events surmise, that there were
lamps, we might have suspected some hidden spot —
some cachet. I am going to ask you to go out to Egypt
again ; to seek the tomb ; to find the serdab ; and to bring
back the lamps!'

" ' And if I find there is no serdab ; or if discovering it
I find no lamps in it, what then?' He smiled grimly
with that saturnine smile of his, so rarely seen for years
past, as he spoke slowly:

'"Then you will have to hustle till you find them!'
"'Good!' I said. He pointed to one of the sheets:
'"Here are the transcripts from the Chapel at the
south and the east. I have been, looking over the writ-
176

The Jetuel of Seoen Stars

ings again; and I find that in seven places round this
corner are the symbols of the constellation which we
call the Plough, which Queen Tera held to rule her birth
and her destiny. I have examined them carefully, and
I notice that they are all representations of the grouping
of the stars, as the constellation appears in different
parts of the heavens. They are all astronomically cor-
rect ; and as in the real sky the Pointers indicate the
Pole Star, so these all point to one spot in the wall
where usually the serdab is to be found!'

"'Bravo!' I shouted, for such a piece of reasoning
demanded applause. He seemed pleased as he went on :

"'When you are in the tomb, examine this spot.
There is probably some spring or mechanical contrivance
for opening the receptacle. What it may be, there is
no use guessing. You will know what best to do, when
you are on the spot.'

"I started the next week for Egypt ; and never rested
till I stood again in the tomb. I had found some of our
old following; and was fairly well provided with help-
The country was now in a condition very different to
that in which it had been sixteen years before; there
was no need for troops or armed men.

"I climbed the rock face alone. There was no diffi-
culty, for in that fine climate the woodwork of the
ladder was still dependable. It was easy to see that
in the years that had elapsed there had been other visit-
ors to the tomb;. and my heart sank within me when I
thought that some of them might by chance have come
across the secret place. It would be a bitter discovery
indeed to find that they had forestalled me; and that
my journey had been in vain.

"The bitterness was realised when I lit my torches,
177

The Jewel of Serpen Stars

and passed between the seven-sided columns to the
Chapel of the tomb.

"There, in the very spot where I had expected to
find it, was the opening of a serdab. And the serdab
was empty!

"But the Chapel was not empty; for the dried -up
body of a man in Arab dress lay close under the open-
ing, as though he had been stricken down. I examined,
all around the walls to see if Trelawny's surmise was
correct ; and I found that in all the positions of the stars
as given, the Pointers of the Plough indicated a spot to
the left hand, or south side, of the opening of the serdab,
where was a single star in gold.

"I pressed this, and it gave way. The stone which
had marked the front of the serdab, and which lay back
against the wall within, moved slightly. On further
examining the other side of the opening, I found a sim-
ilar spot, indicated by other representations of the con-
stellation; but this was itself a figure of the seven stars,
and each was wrought in burnished gold. I pressed
each star in turn; but without result. Then it struck
me that if the opening spring was on the left, this on the
right might have been intended for the simultaneous
pressure of all the stars by one hand of seven fingers.
By using both my hands, I managed to effect this.

' ' With a loud click, a metal figure seemed to dart from
close to the opening of the serdab ; the stone slowly swung
back to its place, and shut with a click. The glimpse
which I had of the descending figure appalled me for the
moment. It was like that grim guardian which accord-
ing to the Arabian historian Ibn Abd Alhokin, the
builder of the Pyramids, King Saurid Ibn Salhouk
placed in the Western Pyramid to defend its treasure:

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

'A marble figure, upright, with lance in hand; with on
his head a serpent wreathed. When any approached,
the serpent would bite him on one side, and twining
about his throat and killing him, would return again
to his place.'

"I knew well that such a figure was not wrought to
pleasantry; and that to brave it was no child's play.
The dead Arab at my feet was proof of what could be
done! So I examined again along the wall; and found
here and there chippings as if some one had been tap-
ping with a heavy hammer. This then had been what
happened: The grave-robber more expert at his work
than we had been, and suspecting the presence of a hid-
den serdab, had made essay to find it. He had struck
the spring by chance; had released the avenging 'Treas-
urer,' as the Arabian writer designated him. The issue
spoke for itself!

"I got a piece of wood, and, standing at a safe dis-
tance, pressed with the end of it upon the star.

"Instantly the stone flew back. The hidden figure
within darted forward and thrust out its lance. Then
it rose up and disappeared. I thought I might now safely
press on the seven stars, and did so. Again the stone
rolled back; and the 'Treasurer' flashed by to his hidden
lair.

' ' I repeated both experiments several times ; with al-
ways the same result. I should have liked to examine
the mechanism of that figure of such malignant mobility;
but it was not possible without such tools as could not
easily be had. It might be necessary to cut into a
whole section of the rock. Some day I hope to go back,
properly equipped, and attempt it.

"Perhaps you do not know that the entrance to a
179

The Jetuel of Seoen Stars

serdab is almost always very narrow ; sometimes a hand
can hardly be inserted. Two things I learned from this
serdab. The first was that the lamps, if lamps at all
there had been, could not have been of large size; and
secondly that they would be in some way associated
with Hathor, whose symbol, the hawk in a square with
the right top corner forming a smaller square, was cut
in relief on the wall within, and colored the bright ver-
milion which we had found on the Stele. Hathor is the
goddess who in Egyptian mythology answers to Venus
of the Greeks, in as far as she is the presiding deity of
beauty and pleasure. In the Egyptian mythology,
however, each God has many forms; and in some aspects
Hathor has to do with the idea of resurrection. There
are seven forms or variants of the Goddess ; why should
not these correspond in some way to the seven lamps!
That there had been such lamps, I was convinced. The
first grave-robber had met his death; the second had
found the contents of the serdab. The first attempt
had been made years since; the state of the body beside
me proved this. I had no clue to the second attempt.
It might have been long ago; or it might have been
recently. If, however, others had been to the tomb, it
was probable that the lamps had been taken long ago.
Well! all the more difficult would be my search; for
undertaken it must be!

"That was nearly three years ago, and for all that
time I have been like the man in the Arabian Nights,
seeking old lamps, not for new, but for cash. I dared
not say what I was looking for, or attempt to give any
description; for such would have defeated my purpose.
But I had in my own mind at the start a vague idea of
what I must find. In process of time this grew more
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and more clear; till at the last I almost overshot my
mark by searching for something which might have
been wrong.

"The disappointments I suffered, and the wild-goose
chases I made, would fill a volume; but I persevered.
At last, not two months ago, I was shown by an old
dealer in Mossul one lamp such as I had looked for.
I had been tracing it for nearly a year, always suf-
fering disappointment, but always buoyed up to fur-
ther endeavor by a growing hope that I was on the
track.

"I do not know how I restrained myself when I real-
ised that, at last, I was at least close to success. I was
skilled, however, in the finesse of Eastern trade; and the
Jew- Arab -Portugee trader met his match. I wanted to
see all his stock before buying; and one by one he pro-
duced, amongst masses of rubbish, seven different lamps.
Each of them had a distinguishing mark; and each and
all was some form of the symbol of Hathor. I think
I shook the imperturbability of my swarthy friend by
the magnitude of my purchases ; for in order to prevent
him guessing what form of goods I sought, I nearly
cleared out his shop. At the end he nearly wept, and
said I had ruined him; for now he had nothing to sell.
He would have torn his hair had he known what price
I should ultimately have given for some of his stock,
that perhaps he valued least.

' ' I parted with, most of my merchandise at normal
price as I hurried home. I did not dare to give it away,
or even lose it, lest I should incur suspicion. My
burden was far too precious to be risked by any foolish-
ness now. I got on as fast as it is possible to travel in
such countries; and arrived in London with only the
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lamps and certain portable curios and papyri which I
had picked up on my travels.

" Now, Mr. Ross, you know all I know; and I leave it
to your discretion how much, if any of it, you will tell
Miss Trelawny."

As he finished a clear young voice said behind us:
"What about Miss Trelawny? She is here!"
We turned, startled; and looked at each other in-
quiringly. Miss Trelawny stood in the doorway. We
did not know how long she had been present, or how
much she had heard.

Atoahing Prom the Trance

THE first unexpected words may always startle a
hearer; but when the shock is over, the listener's
reason has asserted itself, and he can judge of the
manner, as well as of the matter, of speech. Thus it
was on this occasion. With intelligence now alert, I
could not doubt of the simple sincerity of Margaret's
next question:

' ' What have you two men been talking about all
this time, Mr. Ross? I suppose, Mr. Corbeck has been
telling you all his adventures in finding the lamps. I
hope you will tell me too, some day, Mr. Corbeck; but
that must not be until my poor Father is better. He
would like, I am sure, to tell me all about these things
himself; or to be present when I heard them." She
glanced sharply from one to the other. " Oh! that was
what you were saying as I came in? All right! I shall
wait; but I hope it won't be long. The continuance
of father's condition is, I feel, breaking me down.
A little while ago I felt that my nerves were giving out,
so I determined to go out for a walk in the Park. I am
sure it will do me" good. I want you, if you will, Mr.
Ross, to be with Father whilst I am away. I shall feel
secure then!"

I rose with alacrity, rejoicing that the poor girl was
going out, even for half an hour. She was looking
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terribly wearied and haggard; and the sight of her
pale cheeks made my heart ache, I went to the sick-
room; and sat down in my usual place. Mrs. Grant was
then on duty; we had not found it necessary to have
more than one person in the room during the day.
When I came in, she took occasion to go about some
household duty. The blinds were up, but the north
aspect of the room softened the hot glare of the sunlight
without.

I sat for a long time thinking over all that Mr. Cor-
beck had told me; and weaving its wonders into the
tissue of strange things which had come to pass since
I had entered the house. At times I was inclined to
doubt; to doubt everything and every one; to doubt
even the evidences of my own senses. The warnings
of the skilled detective kept coming back to my mind.
He had put down Mr. Corbeck as a clever liar, and a
confederate of Miss Trelawny. Of Margaret! That
settled it! Face to face with such a proposition as that,
doubt vanished. Each time when her image, her
name, the merest thought of her, came before my mind,
. each event stood out stark as a living fact. My life
upon her faith!

I was recalled from my reverie, which was fast be-
coming a dream of love, in a startling manner. A voice
came from the bed; a deep, strong, masterful voice.
The first note of it called up like a clarion my eyes and
my ears. The sick man was awake and speaking!

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Whatever ideas any of us had ever formed of his
waking, I am quite sure that none of us expected to see
him start up all awake and full master of himself. I
was so surprised that I answered almost mechanically:

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" Ross is my name. I have been watching by you!"
He looked surprised for an instant, and then I could
see that his habit of judging for himself came into play.

"Watching by me! How do you mean? Why
watching by mei*' His eye had now lit on his heavily
bandaged wrist. He went on in a different tone; less
aggressive, more genial, as of one accepting facts:

"Are you a doctor?" I felt myself almost smiling as I
answered; the relief from the long pressure of anxiety
regarding his life was beginning to tell:

"No, sir!"

"Then why are you here? If you are not a doctor,
what are you?" His tone was again more dictatorial.
Thought is quick; the whole train of reasoning on which
my answer must be based flashed through my brain
before the words could leave my lips. Margaret! I
must think of Margaret! This was her father, who as
yet knew nothing of me; even of my very existence.
He would be naturally curious, if not anxious, to know
why I amongst men had been chosen as his daughter's
friend on the occasion of his illness. Fathers are
naturally a little jealous in such matters as a daughter's
choice, and in the undeclared state of my love for
Margaret I must do nothing which could ultimately
embarrass her.

"I am a Barrister. It is not, however, in that capac-
ity I am here; but simply as a friend of your daughter.
It was probably her knowledge of my being a lawyer
which first determined her to ask me to come when she
thought you had been murdered. Afterwards she was
good enough to consider me to be a friend, and to allow
me to remain in accordance with your expressed wish
that some one should remain to watch."
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Mr. Trelawny was manifestly a man of quick thought,
and of few words. He gazed at me keenly as I spoke,
and his piercing eyes seemed to read my thought. To
my relief he said no more on the subject just then,
seeming to accept my words in simple faith. There
was evidently in his own mind some cause for the
acceptance deeper than my own knowledge. His eyes
flashed, and there was an unconscious movement of the
mouth — it could hardly be called a twitch — which be-
tokened satisfaction. He was following out some train
of reasoning in his own mind. Suddenly he said:

"She thought I had been murdered! Was that last
night?"

"No! Four days ago." He seemed surprised. Whilst
he had been speaking the first time he had sat up in
bed, now he made a movement as though he would
jump out. With an effort, however, he restrained him-
self: leaning back on his pillows he said quietly:

"Tell me all about it! AI! you know! Every detail!
Omit nothing! But stay; first lock the door! I want
to know, before I see any one, exactly how things stand."

Somehow his last words made my heart leap. "Any
one!" He evidently accepted me, then, as an exception.
In my present state of feeling for his daughter, this was
a comforting thought. I felt exultant as I went over
to the door and softly turned the key. When I came
back I found him sitting up again. He said:

"Go on!"

Accordingly, I told him every detail, even of the
slightest which I could remember, of what had happened
from the moment of my arrival at the house. Of course
I said nothing of my feeling towards Margaret, and
spoke only concerning those things already within his

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own knowledge. With regard to Corbeck, I simply
said that he had brought back some lamps of which
he had been in quest. Then I proceeded to tell him
fully of thejr loss, and of their re-discovery in the house.

He listened with a self-control which, under the
circumstances, was to me little less than marvellous.
It was not impassiveness, for at times his eyes would
flash or blaze, and the strong fingers of his uninjured
hand would grip the sheet, pulling it into far-extending
wrinkles. This was most noticeable when I told him
of the return of Corbeck, and the finding of the lamps
in the boudoir. At times he spoke, but only a few
words, and as if unconsciously in emotional comment.
The mysterious parts, those which had most puzzled
us, seemed to have no special interest for him; he
seemed to know them already. The utmost concern he
showed was when I told him of Daw's shooting. His
muttered comment: "Stupid ass!" together with a
quick glance across the room at the injured cabinet,
marked the measure of his disgust. As I told him of his
daughter's harrowing anxiety for him, of her unending
care and devotion, of the tender love which she had
shown, he seemed much moved. There was a sort of
veiled surprise in his unconscious whisper:

"Margaret! Margaret!"

When I had finished my narration, bringing matters
up to the moment when Miss Trelawny had gone out
for her walk — I thought of her as "Miss Trelawny," not
as "Margaret" now, in the presence of her father — he
remained silent for quite a long time. It was probably
two or three minutes; but it seemed interminable. All
at once he turned to me and said briskly:

"Now tell me all about yourself!" This was some-

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tiling of a floorer; I felt myself grow red-hot. Mr.
Trelawny's eyes were upon me; they were now calm
and inquiring, but never ceasing in their soul-searching
scrutiny. There was just a suspicion of a smile on the
mouth which, though it added to my embarrassment,
gave me a certain measure of relief. I was, however,
face to face with difficulty; and the habit of my life
stood me in good stead. I looked him straight in the
eyes as I spoke:

"My name, as I told you, is Ross, Malcolm Ross. I
am by profession a Barrister. I was made a Q.C. in
the last year of the Queen's reign. I have been fairly
successful in my work." To my relief he said:

"Yes, I know. I have always heard well of you!
Where and when did you meet Margaret?"

"First at the Hay's in Belgrave Square, ten days ago.
Then at a picnic up the river with Lady Strath connell.
We went from Windsor to Cookham. Mar — Miss
Trelawny was in my boat. I scull a little, and I had
my own boat at Windsor. We had a good deal of
conversation — natu ral ly . "

"Naturally!" There was just a suspicion of some-
thing sardonic in the tone of acquiescence ; but there
was no other intimation of his feeling. I began to
think that as I was in the presence of a strong man, I
should show something of my own strength. My
friends, and sometimes my opponents, say that I am
a strong man. In my present circumstances, not to be
absolutely truthful would be to be weak. So I stood
up to the difficulty before me; always bearing in mind,
however, that my words might affect Margaret's
happiness through her love for her Father. I went on:

"In conversation at a place and time and amid sur-

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roundings so pleasing, and in a solitude inviting to
confidence, I got a glimpse of her inner life. Such a
glimpse as a man of my years and experience may get
from a young girl!" The Father's face grew graver as
I went on; but he said nothing. I was committed now
to a definite line of speech, and went on with such
mastery of my mind as I could exercise. The occasion
might be fraught with serious consequences to me too:

" I could not but see that there was over her spirit a
sense of loneliness which was habitual to her. I thought
I understood it; I am myself an only child. I ventured
to encourage her to speak to me freely; and was happy
enough to succeed. A sort of confidence became es-
tablished between us." There was something in the
Father's face which made me add hurriedly:

"Nothing was said by her, sir, as you can "well im-
agine, which was not right and proper. She only told
me in the impulsive way of one longing to give voice
to thoughts long carefully concealed, of her yearning to
be closer to the Father whom she loved ; more en rapport
with him ; more in his confidence ; closer within the circle
of his sympathies. Oh, believe me, sir, that it was all
good! All that a father's heart could hope or wish
for ! It was all loyal ! That she spoke it to me was
perhaps because I was almost a stranger with whom
there was no previous barrier to confidence."

Here I paused. It was hard to go on; and I feared
lest I might in my zeal do Margaret a disservice. The
relief of the strain came from her Father.

"And you?"

" Sir, Miss Trelawny is very sweet and beautiful ! She
is young; and her mind is like crystal ! Her sympathy
is a joy! I am not an old man, and my affections were

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not engaged. They never had been tilt then. I hope
I may say so much, even to a father!" My eyes invol-
untarily dropped. When I raised them again, Mr. Tre-
lawny was still gazing at me keenly. All the kindliness
of his nature seemed to wreathe itself in a smile as he
held out his hand and said:

"Malcolm Ross, I have always heard of you as a fear-
less and honorable gentleman. I am glad my girl has
such a friend. Go on!"

My heart leaped. The first step to the winning of
Margaret's Father was gained. I dare say I was some-
what more effusive in my words and my manner as I
went on. I certainly felt that way.

"One thing we gain as we grow older: to use our age
judiciously ! I have had much experience. I have
fought for it and worked for it all my life ; and I felt
that I was justified in using it. I ventured to ask Miss
Trelawny to count on me as a friend; to let me serve
her should occasion arise. She promised me that she
would. I had little idea that my chance of serving her
should come so soon, or in such a way; but that very
night you were stricken down. In her desolation and
anxiety she sent for me!" I paused. He continued to
look at me as I went on:

"When your letter of instructions was found, I offered
my services. They were accepted, as you know!"

"And these days; how did they pass for you?" The
question startled me. There was in it something of
Margaret's own voice and manner ; something so greatly
resembling her lighter moments that it brought out all
the masculinity in me. I felt more sure of my ground
now as I said:

"These days, sir, despite all their harrowing anxie-
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ty, despite all the pain they held for a girl whom I grew
to love more and more with each passing hour, have
been the happiest of my life!" He kept silence for a
long time; so long that, as I waited for him to speak,
with my heart beating, I began to wonder if my frank-
ness had been too effusive. At last he said:

"I suppose it is hard to say so much vicariously. Her
poor mother should have heard you; it would have
made her heart glad!" Then a shadow swept across
his face ; and he went on more hurriedly :

"But are you quite sure of all this?"

"I know my own heart, sir; or, at least, I think I do!"

" No! no!" he answered, " I don't mean you. That is
all right! But you spoke of my girl's affection for me . . .
and yet . . . ! And yet she has been living here, in my
house, a whole year. . . . Still, she spoke to you of
her loneliness — her desolation. I never — it grieves me
to say it, but it is true — I never saw sign of such affec-
tion towards myself in all the year! ..." His voice
trembled away into sad, reminiscent introspection.

"Then, sir," I said, "I have been privileged to see
more in a few days than you in her whole lifetime!"
My words seemed to call him up from himself; and I
thought that it was with pleasure as well as surprise
that he said:

"I had no idea of it. I thought that she was indiffer-
ent to me. That what seemed the neglect of her youth
was revenging itself on me. That she was cold of heart.
... It is a joy unspeakable to me that her mother's
daughter loves me too!" Unconsciously he sank back
upon his pillow, lost in memories of the past.

How he must have loved her mother! It was the
love of her mother's child, rather than the love of his
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own daughter, that appealed to him. My heart went
out to him in a great wave of sympathy and kindliness.
I began to understand. To understand the passion of
these two great, silent, reserved natures, that successfully
concealed the burning hunger for the other's love ! It did
not surprise me when presently he murmured to himself:

"Margaret, my child! Tender, and thoughtful, and
strong, and true, and brave! Like her dear mother!
like her dear mother!"

And then to the very depths of my heart I rejoiced
that I had spoken frankly.

Presently Mr. Trelawny said:

"Four days! The sixteenth! Then this is the twen-
tieth of July?" I nodded affirmation; he went on:

"So I have been lying in a trance for four days. It
is not the first time. I was in a trance once under strange
conditions for three days; and never even suspected it
till I was told of the lapse of time. I shall tell you all
about it some day, if you care to hear."

That made me thrill with pleasure. That he, Mar-
garet's Father, would so take me into his confidence
made it possible. . . . The business-like, everyday alert-
ness of his voice as he spoke next quite recalled me :

"I had better get up now. When Margaret comes
in, tell her yourself that I am all right. It will avoid
any shock ! And will you tell Corbeck that I would like
to see him as soon as I can? I want to see those lamps,
and hear all about them!"

His attitude towards me filled me with delight. There
was a possible father-in-law aspect that would have
raised me from a deathbed. I was hurrying away to
carry out his wishes; when, however, my hand was on
the key of the door, his voice recalled me:
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"Mr. Ross!"

I did not like to hear him say "Mr." After he knew
of my friendship with his daughter he had called me
"Malcolm Ross "; and this obvious return to formality
not only pained, but filled me with apprehension. It
must be something about Margaret. I thought of her
as "Margaret " and not as "Miss Trelawny," now that
there was danger of losing her. I know now what I
felt then: that I was determined to fight for her rather
than lose her. I came back, unconsciously holding
myself erect. Mr. Trelawny, the keen observer of men,
seemed to read my thought; his face, which was set in a
new anxiety, relaxed as he said:

"Sit down a minute; it is better that we speak now
than later. We are both, men, and men of the world.
All this about my daughter is very new to me, and very
sudden ; and I want to know exactly how and where I
stand. Mind, I am making no objection; but as a
father I have duties which are grave, and may prove to
be painful. I — I" — he seemed slightly at a loss how
to begin, and this gave me hope — "I suppose I am to
take it, from what you have said to me of your feelings
towards my girl, that it is in your mind to be a suitor
for her hand, later on?" I answered at once:

"Absolutely! Firm and fixed; it was my intention
.the evening after I had been with her on the river, to
seek you, of course after a proper and respectful in-
terval, and to ask you if I might approach her on the
subject. Events forced me into closer relationship
more quickly than I had dared to hope would be possible ;
but that first purpose has remained fresh in my heart,
and has grown in intensity, and multiplied itself with
every hour which has passed since then." His face
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seemed to soften as he looked at me; the memory of
his own youth was coming back to him instinctively.
After a pause he said:

"I suppose I may take it, too, Malcolm Ross" — the
return to the familiarity of address swept through
me with a glorious thrill — "that as yet you have not
made any protestation to my daughter?"

"Not in words, sir!" The arriere pensGe of my phrase
struck me, not by its own inherent humor, but through
the grave, kindly smile on the Father's face. There was
a pleasant sarcasm in his comment;

' ' Not in words ! That is dangerous ! She might have
doubted words, or even disbelieved them."

I felt myself blushing to the roots of my hair as I
went on:

"The duty of delicacy in. her defenceless position;
my respect for her Father — I did not know you then,
sir, as yourself, but only as her Father — restrained me.
But even had not these barriers existed, I should not
have dared in the presence of such grief and anxiety
to have declared myself. Mr. Trelawny, I assure you
on my word of honor that your daughter and I are as
yet, on her part, but friends, and nothing more!" Once
again he held out his hands, and we clasped each other
warmly. Then he said heartily :

"I am satisfied, Malcolm Ross. Of course, I take it
that until I have seen her and have given you permis-
sion, you will not make any declaration to my daughter
— in words," he added, with an indulgent smile. But
his face became stern again as he went on:

"Time presses; and I have to think of some matters
so urgent and so strange that I dare not lose an hour.
Otherwise I should not have been prepared to enter,
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at so short a notice and to so new a friend, on the subject
of my daughter's settlement in life, and of her future
happiness." There was a dignity and a certain proud-
ness in his manner which impressed me much.

"I shall respect your wishes, sir!" I said as I went
back and opened the door. I heard him lock it behind
me.

"When I told Mr. Corbeck that Mr. Trelawny had quite
recovered, he began to dance about like a wild man.
But he suddenly stopped, and asked me to be careful
not to draw any inferences, at all events at first, when
in the future speaking of the finding of the lamps, or
of the first visits to the tomb. This was in case Mr.
Trelawny should speak to me on the subject; "as, of
course, he will," he added, with a sidelong look at me
which meant knowledge of the affairs of my heart. I
agreed to this, feeling that it was quite right. I did not
quite understand why; but I knew that Mr. Trelawny
was a peculiar man. In no case could one make a
mistake by being reticent. Reticence is a quality
which a strong man always respects.

The manner in which the others of the house took the
news of the recovery varied much. Mrs. Grant wept
with emotion; then she hurried off to see if she could do
anything personally, and to set the house in order for
" Master," as she always called him. The Nurse's face
fell; she was deprived of an interesting case. But the
disappointment was only momentary; and she rejoiced
that the trouble was over. She was ready to come to
the patient the moment she should be wanted; but in
the meantime she occupied herself in packing her
portmanteau.

I took Sergeant Daw into the study, so that we should
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be alone when I told him the news. It surprised even
his iron self-control when I told him the method of the
waking. I was myself surprised in turn by his first
words :

"And how did he explain the first attack? He was
unconscious when the second was made."

Up to that moment the nature of the attack, which
was the cause of my coming to the house, had never
even crossed my mind, except when I had simply
narrated the various occurrences in sequence to Mr.
Trelawny. The Detective did not seem to think much
of my answer:

" Do you know, it never occurred to me to ask him?"
The professional instinct was strong in the man, and
seemed to supei-sede everything else.

"That is why so few cases are ever followed out," he
said, "unless our people are in them. Your amateur
detective never hunts down to the death. As for
ordinary people, the moment things begin to mend, and
the strain of suspense is off them, they drop the matter
in hand. It is like seasickness," he added philo-
sophically after a pause; "the moment you touch the
shore you never give it a thought, but run off to the
buffet to feed! Well, Mr. Ross, I'm glad the case is
over; for over it is, so far as I am concerned. I suppose
that Mr. Trelawny knows his own business; and that
now he is well again, he will take it up himself. Perhaps,
however, he will not do anything. As he seemed to
expect something to happen, but did not ask for pro-
tection from the police in any way, I take it that he
don't want them to interfere with an eye to punish-
ment. We'll be told officially, I suppose, that it was an
accident, or sleep-walking, or something of the kind, to
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satisfy the conscience of our Record Department; and
that will be the end. As for me, I tell you frankly, sir,
that it will be the saving of me. I verily believe I was
beginning to get dotty over it all. There were too
many mysteries, that aren't in my line, for me to be
really satisfied as to either facts or the causes of them.
Now I'll be able to wash my hands of it, and get back
to clean, wholesome, criminal work. Of course, sir,
I'll be glad to know if you ever do light on a cause of
any kind. And I'll be grateful if you can eveT tell me
how the man was dragged out of bed when the cat bit
him, and who used the knife the second time. For
master Silvio could never have done it by himself.
But there! I keep thinking of it still. I must look out
and keep a check on myself, or I shall think of it when
I have to keep my mind on other things!"

When Margaret returned from her walk, I met her in
the hall. She was still pale and sad; somehow, I had
expected to see her radiant after her walk. The moment
she saw me her eyes brightened, and she looked at me
keenly.

"You have some good news for me?" she said. "Is
Father better?"

" He is! Why did you think so?"

"I saw it in your face. I must go to him at once."
She was hurrying away when I stopped her.

"He said he would send for you the moment -he was
dressed."

"He said he would send for me!" she repeated in
amazement. "Then he is awake again, and conscious?
I had no idea he was so well as that! O Malcolm!"

She sat down on the nearest chair and began to cry.

I felt overcome myself. The sight of her joy and emo-

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tion; the mention of my own name in such a way and
at such a time; the rush of glorious possibilities all com-
ing together, quite unmanned me. She saw my emotion,
and seemed to understand. She put out her hand. I
held it hard, and kissed it. Such moments as these —
the opportunities of lovers — are gifts of the Gods. Up
to this instant, though I knew I loved her, and though I
believed she returned my affection, I had had only hope.
Now, however, the self-surrender manifest in her willing-
ness to let me squeeze her hand, the ardor of her pressure
in return, and the glorious flush of love in her beautiful,
deep, dark eyes as she lifted them to mine, were all the
eloquences which the most impatient or exacting lover
could expect, or demand.

No word was spoken; none was needed. Even had I
not been pledged to verbal silence, words would have
been poor and dull to express what we felt. Hand in
hand, like two little children, we went up the staircase
and waited on the landing, till the summons from Mr.
Trelawny should come.

I whispered in her ear — it was nicer than speaking
aloud and at a greater distance — how her Father had
awakened, and what he had said; and all that had
passed between us, except when she herself had been
the subject of conversation.

Presently a bell rang from the room. Margaret
slipped from me, and looked back with warning finger
on lip. She went over to her Father's door and knocked
softly.

"Come in!" said the strong voice.

"It is I, Father!" The voice was tremulous with love
and hope.

There was a quick step inside the room ; the door was

The Jewel of< Secern Stars

hurriedly thrown open, and in an instant Margaret, who
had sprung forward, was clasped in her Father's arms.
There was little speech; only a few broken phrases.
"Father! Dear, dear father!"
"My child! Margaret! My dear, dear child!"
"O Father, Father! At last! At last!"
Here the father and daughter went into the room to-
gether, and the door closed.

The Birth-mark

DURING my waiting for the summons to Mr. Tre-
lawny's room, which I knew would come, the time
was long and lonely. After the first few moments of emo-
tional happiness at Margaret's joy, I somehow felt apart
and alone; and for a little time the selfishness of a lover
possessed me. But it was not for long. Margaret's
happiness was all in all to me; and in the conscious sense
of it I lost my baser self. Margaret's last words as the
door closed on them gave the key to the whole situation,
as it had been and as it was. These two proud, strong
people, though father and daughter, had only come to
know each other when the girl was grown up. Mar-
garet's nature was of that kind which matures early.

The pride and strength, of each, and the reticence
which was their corollary, made a barrier at the begin-
ning. Each had respected the other's reticence too
much thereafter; and the misunderstanding grew ^ to
habit. And so these two loving hearts, each of which
yearned for sympathy from the other, were kept apart.
But now all was well, and in my heart of hearts I rejoiced
that at last Margaret was happy. Whilst I was still
musing on the subject, and dreaming dreams of a per-
sonal nature, the door was opened, and Mr. Trelawny
beckoned to me.

"Come in, Mr. Ross!" he said cordially, but with a

The Jetoel of Seuen Stars

certain formality which I dreaded. I entered the room,
and he closed the door again. He held out his hand,
and I put mine in it. He did not let it go, but still held
it as he drew me over toward his daughter. Margaret
looked from me to him, and back again; and her eyes
fell. When I was close to her, Mr. Trelawny let go my
hand, and, looking his daughter straight in the face,
said:

"If things are as I fancy, we shall not have any secrets
between us. Malcolm Ross knows so much of my affairs
already, that I take it he must either let matters stop
where they are and go away in silence, or else he must
— know more. Margaret! are you willing to let Mr.
Ross see your wrist?"

She threw one swift look of appeal in his eyes; but
even as she did so she seemed to make up her mind.
Without a word she raised her right hand, so that the
bracelet of spreading wings which covered the wrist fell
back, leaving the flesh bare. Then an icy chill shot
through me.

On her wrist was a thin red jagged line, from which
seemed to hang red stains like drops of blood!

She stood there, a veritable figure of patient pride.

Oh! but she looked proud! Through all her sweet-
ness, all her dignity, all the high-souled negation of self
which I had known, and which never seemed more
marked than now — through all the fire that seemed to
shine from the dark depths of her eyes into my very
soul, pride shone conspicuously. The pride that has
faith; the pride that is born of conscious purity; the
pride of a veritable queen of Old Time, when to be royal
was to be the first and greatest and bravest in all high
things. As we stood thus for some seconds, the deep,
,. 201

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

grave voice of her Father seemed to sound a challenge
in my ears:

"What do you say now?"

My answer was not in words. I caught in mine Mar-
garet's right hand as it fell, and, holding it tight, whilst
with the other I pushed back the golden cincture,
stooped and kissed the wrist. As I looked up at her, but
never letting go her hand, there was a look of joy on her
face such as I dream of when I think of heaven. Then
I faced her Father:

"You have my answer, sir!" His strong face looked
gravely sweet. He only said one word as he laid his
hand on our clasped ones, whilst he bent over and kissed
his daughter:

"Good!"

We were interrupted by a knock at the door. In
answer to an impatient "Come in!" from Mr. Trelawny,
Mr. Corbeck entered. When he saw us grouped he
would have drawn back ; but in an instant Mr. Trelawny
had sprung forward and dragged him forward. As he
shook him by both hands, he seemed a transformed man.
All the enthusiasm of his youth, of which Mr. Corbeck
had told us, seemed to have come back to him in an
instant.

"So you have got the lamps!" he almost shouted.
"My reasoning was right after all. Come to the library,
where we will be alone, and tell me all about it! And
while he does it, Ross," said he, turning to me, "do you,
like a good fellow, get the key from the safe deposit, so
that I may have a look at the lamps!"

Then the three of them, the daughter lovingly holding
her Father's arm, went into the library; whilst I hurried
off to Chancery Lane.

The Jetcel of Seoen Stars

When I returned with the key, I found them still en-
gaged in the narrative ; but Doctor Winchester, who had
arrived soon after I left, was with them. Mr. Trelawny,
on hearing from Margaret of his great attention and
kindness, and how he had, under much pressure to the
contrary, steadfastly obeyed his written wishes, had
asked him to remain and listen: "It will interest you,
perhaps," he said, "to learn the end of the story!"

We all had an early dinner together. We sat after
it a good while, and then Mr. Trelawny said:

"Now, I think we had all better separate and go
quietly to bed early. We may have much to talk
about to-morrow; and to-night I want to think."

Doctor Winchester went away, taking, with a courteous
forethought, Mr. Corbeck with him, and leaving me
behind. When the others had gone Mr. Trelawny said:

"I think it will be well if you, too, will go home for
to-night. I want to be quite alone with my daughter;
there are things I wish to speak of to her, and to her
alone. Perhaps, even to-morrow, I may be able to tell
you also of them; but in the meantime there will be
less distraction to us both if we are alone in the house."
I quite understood and sympathised with his feelings;
but the experiences of the last few days were strong on
me, and with some hesitation I said:

"But may it not be dangerous? If you knew as we
do " To my surprise Margaret interrupted me:

"There will be no danger, Malcolm. I shall be with
Father!" As she spoke she clung to him in a protective
way. I said no more, but stood up to go at once. Mr.
Trelawny said heartily:

"Come as early as you please, Ross. Come to break-
fast. After it, you and I will want to have a word to-
203

The Jewel o£ Seoen Stars

gether." He went out of the room quietly, leaving
us together. I clasped and kissed Margaret's hands,
which she held out to me, and then drew her close to me,
and our lips met for the first time.

I did not sleep much that night. Happiness on the
one side of my bed and Anxiety on the other kept sleep
away. But if I had anxious care, I had also happiness
which had not equal in my life— or ever can have. The
night went by so quickly that the dawn seemed to rush
on me, not stealing as is its wont.

Before nine o'clock I was at Kensington. All anxiety
seemed to float away like a cloud as I met Margaret,
and saw that already the pallor of her face had given
way to the rich bloom which I knew. She told me that
her father had slept well, and that he would be with us
soon.

"I do believe," she whispered, "that my dear and
thoughtful Father has kept back on purpose, so that I
might meet you first — and alone!"

After breakfast Mr. Trelawny took us into the study,
saying as he passed in:

"I have asked Margaret to come too." When we
were seated, he said gravely:

" I told you last night that we might have something
to say to each other. I dare say that you may have
thought that it was about Margaret and yourself.
Isn't that so?"

"I thought so."

"Well, my boy, that is all right. Margaret and I
have been talking, and I know her wishes." He held
out his hand. When I had wrung it, and had kissed
Margaret, who drew her chair close to mine, so that we
could hold hands as we listened, he went on, but with
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The Jetoel o£ Seuen Stars

a certain hesitation — it could hardly be called nervous-
ness— which was new to me:

"You know a good deal of my hunt after this mummy
and her belongings ; and I dare say you have guessed a
good deal of my theories. But these at any rate I
shall explain later, concisely and categorically, if it be
necessary. What I want to consult you about now is
this: Margaret and I disagree on one point. I am about
to make an experiment; the experiment which is to
crown all that I have devoted twenty years of research,
and danger, and labor to prepare for. Through it we
may learn things that have been hidden from the eyes
and the knowledge of men for centuries; for scores of
centuries. I do not want my daughter to be present;
for I cannot blind myself to the fact that there may be
danger in it — great danger, and of an unknown kind.
I have, however, already faced very great dangers, and
of an unknown kind ; and so has that brave scholar who
has helped me in the work. As to myself, I am willing
to run any risk. For science, and history, and philos-
ophy may benefit ; and we may turn one old page of a
wisdom unknown in this prosaic age. But for my
daughter to run such a risk I am loth. Her young
bright life is too precious to throw lightly away; now
especially when she is on the very threshold of new
happiness. I do not wish to see her life given, as her
dear mother's was "

He broke down for a moment, and covered his eyes
with his hands. In an instant Margaret was beside
him, clasping him close, and kissing him, and comforting
him with loving words. . Then, standing erect, with one
hand on his head, she said:

"Father! mother did not bid you stay beside her,
205

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

even when you wanted to go on that journey of un-
known danger to Egypt; though that country was then
upset from end to end with war and the dangers that
follow war. You have told me how she left you free
to go as you wished ; though that she thought of danger
for you, and feared it for you, is proved by this!" She
held up her wrist with the scar that seemed to run
blood. " Now, mother's daughter does as mother would
have done herself!" Then she turned to me:

" Malcolm, you know I love you ! But love is trust ; and
you must trust me in danger as well as in joy. You and I
must stand beside Father in this unknown peril. Together
we shall come through it ; or together we shall fail ; together
we shall die. That is my wish; my first wish to my hus-
band that is to be ! Do you not think that, as a daugh-
ter, I am right? Tell my Father what you think!"

She looked like a Queen stooping to plead. My love
for her grew and grew. I stood up beside her; and took
her hand and said:

"Mr. Trelawny! in this Margaret and I are one!"

He took both our hands and held them hard. Presently
he said with deep emotion:

"It is as her mother would have done!"

Mr. Corbeck and Doctor Winchester came exactly at
the time appointed, and joined us in the library. Despite
my great happiness I felt our meeting to be a very sol-
emnfunction. For I could never forget the strange things
that had been; and the idea of the strange things which
might be, was with me like a cloud, pressing down on us
all. From the gravity of my companions I gathered
that each of them also was ruled by some such dominat-
ing thought.

Instinctively we gathered our chairs into a circle round
206

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

Mr. Trelawny who had taken the great arm-chair near
the window. Margaret sat by him on his right, and I
was next to her. Mr. Corbeck was on his left with Doc-
tor Winchester on the other side. After a few seconds
of silence Mr. Trelawny said to Mr. Corbeck:

"You have told Doctor Winchester all up to the pres-
ent, as we arranged?"

"Yes," he answered; so Mr. Trelawny said:

"And I have told Margaret, so we all know!" Then,
turning to the Doctor, he asked:

"And am I to take it that you, knowing all as we
know it who have followed the matter for years, wish
to share in the experiment which we hope to make?"
His answer was direct and uncompromising.

"Certainly! Why, when this matter was fresh to me,
I offered to go on with it to the end. Now that it is
of such strange interest, I would not miss it for anything
which you could name. Be quite easy in your mind,
Mr. Trelawny. I am a scientist and an investigator of
phenomena. I have no one belonging to me or depend-
ent on me. I am quite alone, and free to do what I like
with my own — including my life!" Mr. Trelawny
bowed gravely, and turning to Mr. Corbeck said:

"I have known your ideas for many years past, old
friend ; so I need ask you nothing. As to Margaret and
Malcolm Ross, they have already told me their wishes
in no uncertain way." He paused a few seconds, as
though to put his thoughts or his words in order ; then
he began to explain his views and intentions. He spoke
very carefully, seeming always to bear in mind that
some of us who listened were ignorant of the very root
and nature of some things touched upon, and explaining
them to us as he went on:

207

The Jetcel of Seuen Stars

"The experiment which is before us is to try whether
or no there is any force, any reality, in the old Magic.
There could not possibly be more favorable conditions
for the test ; and it is my own desire to do all that is
possible to make the original design effective. That
there is some such existing power I firmly believe. It
might not be possible to create, or arrange, or organise
such a power in our own time ; but I take it that if in Old
Time such a power existed, it may have some exceptional
survival. After all, the Bible is not a myth; and we
read there that the sun stood still at a man's command,
and that an ass — not a human one — spoke. And if the
Witch at Endor could call up to Saul the spirit of
Samuel, why may not there have been others with equal
powers; and why may not one among .them survive?
Indeed, we are told in the Book of Samuel that the
Witch of Endor was only one of many, and her being
consulted by Saul was a matter of chance. He only
sought one among the many whom he had driven out
of Israel; "all those that had Familiar Spirits, and the
Wizards." This Egyptian Queen, Tera, who reigned
nearly two thousand years before Saul, had a Familiar,
and was a Wizard too. See how the priests of her time,
and those after it tried to wipe out her name from the
face of the earth, and put a curse over the very door
of her tomb so that none might ever discover the lost
name. Ay, and they succeeded so well that even Man-
etho, the historian of the Egyptian Kings, writing in the
tenth century before Christ, with all the lore of the
priesthood for forty centuries behind him, and with
possibility of access to every existing record, could not
even find her name. Did it strike any of you, in think-
ing of the late events, who or what her Familiar was?
208

The Jetcel of Seocn Stars

There was an interruption, for Doctor Winchester struck
one hand loudly on the other as he ejaculated:

"The cat! The mummy cat! I knew it!" Mr. Tre-
lawny smiled over at him.

"You are right! There is every indication that the
Familiar of the Wizard Queen was that cat which was
mummied when she was, and was not only placed in her
tomb, but was laid in the sarcophagus with her. That
was what bit into my wrist, what cut me with sharp
claws." He paused. Margaret's comment was a purely
girlish one :

"Then my poor Silvio is acquitted. I am glad!" Her
father stroked her hair and went on :

"This woman seems to have had extraordinary fore-
sight. Foresight far, far beyond her age and the phi-
losophy of her time. She seems to have seen through
the weakness of her own religion, and even prepared for
emergence into a different world. All her aspirations
were for the North, the point of the compass whence
blew the cool invigorating breezes that make life a joy.
From the first, her eyes seem to have been attracted to
the seven stars of the Plough, from the fact, as recorded
in the hieroglyphics in her tomb, that at her birth a
great aerolite fell, from whose heart was finally extracted
that Jewel of Seven Stars which she regarded as the
talisman of her life. It seems to have so far ruled her
destiny that all her thought and care circled round it.
The Magic Coffer, so wondrously wrought with seven
sides, we learn from the same source, came from the
aerolite. Seven was to her a magic number; and no
wonder, with seven fingers on one hand. With a talis-
man of a rare ruby with seven stars in the same position
as in that constellation which ruled her birth, each star
209

The Jewel of" Seoen Stars

of the seven having seven points— in itself a geological
wonder — it would have been odd if she had not been
attracted by it. Again, she was born, we learn in the
Stele of her tomb, in the seventh month of the year —
the month beginning with the Inundation of the Nile.
Of which month the presiding Goddess was Hathor, the
Goddess of her own house, of the Antefs of the Theban
line — the Goddess who in various forms symbolises
beauty, and pleasure, and resurrection. Again, in this
seventh month — which, by later Egyptian astronomy
began on October 28th, and ran to the 27th of our
November — on the seventh day, the day of her birth,
the Pointer of the Plough just rises above the horizon
of the sky at Thebes.

" In a marvellously strange way, therefore, are group-
ed into this woman's life these various things. The
number seven; the Pole Star, with the constellation of
seven stars ; the God of the month, Hathor, who was her
own particular God, the God of her family, the Antefs
of the Theban Dynasty whose Kings' symbol it was,
and whose seven forms ruled love and the delights of
life and resurrection. If ever there was ground for
magic; for the power of symbolism carried into mystic
use; for a belief in finite spirits in an age which knew
not the Living God, it is here.

" Remember, too, that this woman was skilled in all the
science of her time. Her wise and cautious father took
care of that, knowing that by her own wisdom she must
ultimately combat the intrigues of the Hierarchy. Bear
in mind that in old Egypt the science of Astronomy
began and was developed to an extraordinary height;
and that Astrology followed Astronomy in its progress.
And it is possible that in the later developments of

The Jewel of Seuen Stars

science with regard to light rays, we may yet find that
Astrology is on a scientific basis. Our next wave of
scientific thought may deal with this. I shall have
something special to call your minds to on this point
presently. Bear in mind also that the Egyptians knew
sciences, of which to-day, despite all our advantages, we
are profoundly ignorant. Acoustics, for instance, an
exact science with the builders of the temples of Karnak,
of Luxor, of the Pyramids, is to-day a mystery to Bell,
and Kelvin, and Edison, and Marconi. Again, these
old miracle-workers probably understood some practical
way of using other forces, and amongst them the forces of
light that at present we do not dream of. But of this
matter I shall speak later. That Magic Coffer of Queen
Tera is probably a magic box in more ways than one.
It may — possibly it does — contain forces that we wot
not of. We cannot open it; it must be closed from
within. How then was it closed? It is a coffer of solid
stone, of amazing hardness, more like a jewel than an
ordinary marble, with a lid equally solid; and yet all is
so finely wrought that the finest tool made to-day can-
not be inserted under the flange. How was it wrought
to such perfection? How was the stone so chosen that
those translucent patches match the relations of the
seven stars of the constellation. How is it, or from
what cause, that when the starlight shines on it, it
glows from within — that when I fix the lamps in similar
form the glow grows greater still; and yet the box is
irresponsive to ordinary light however great. I tell you
that that box hides some great mystery of science. We
shall find that the light will open it in some way: either
by striking on some substance, sensitive in a peculiar
way to its effect, or in releasing some greater power.

211

The Jewel of Senen Stars

I only trust that in our ignorance we may not so bungle
things as to do harm to its mechanism ; and so deprive
the knowledge of our time of a lesson handed down, as
by a miracle, through nearly five thousand years.

"In another way, too,- there may be hidden in that
box secrets which, for good or ill, may enlighten the
world. We know from their records, and inferentially
also, that the Egyptians studied the properties of herbs
and minerals for magic purposes — white magic as well
as black. We know that some of the wizards of old
could induce from sleep dreams of any given kind.
That this purpose was mainly effected by hypnotism,
which was another art or science of Old Nile, I have
little doubt. But still, they must have had a mastery
of drugs that is far beyond anything we know. With
our own pharmacopoeia we can, to a certain extent,
induce dreams. We may even differentiate between
good and bad — dreams of pleasure, or disturbing and
narrowing dreams. But these old practitioners seemed
to have been able to command at will any form or color
of dreaming; could work round any given subject or
thought in almost any way required. In that coffer,
which you have seen, may rest a very armory of dreams.
Indeed, some of the forces that lie within it may have
been already used in my household." Again there was
an interruption from Doctor Winchester :

"But if in your case some of these imprisoned forces
were used, what set them free at the opportune time,
or how ? Besides, you and Mr. Corbeck were once before
put into a trance for three whole days, when you were
in the Queen's tomb for the second time. And then, as
I gathered from Mr. Corbeck's story, the coffer was not
back in the tomb, though the mummy was. Surely in

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

both these cases there must have been some active
intelligence awake, and with some other power to wield."
Mr. Trelawny's answer was equally to the point:

"There was some active intelligence awake. I am
convinced of it. And it wielded a power which it never
lacks. I believe that on both those occasions hypnotism
was the power wielded."

"And wherein is that power contained? What view
do you hold on the subject?" Doctor Winchester's
voice vibrated with the intensity of his excitement as he
leaned forward, breathing hard, and with eyes staring.
Mr. Trelawny said solemnly:

"In the mummy of the Queen Tera! I was coming
to that presently. Perhaps we had better wait till I
clear the ground a little. What I hold is, that the
preparation of that box was made for a special occasion;
as indeed were all the preparations of the tomb and all
belonging to it. Queen Tera did not trouble herself to
guard against snakes and scorpions, in that rocky tomb
cut in the sheer cliff face a hundred feet above the
level of the valley, and fifty down from the summit.
Her precautions were against the disturbances of human
hands; against the jealousy and hatred of the priests
who, had they known of her real aims, would have
tried to baffle them. From her point of view, she made
all ready for the time of resurrection, whenever that
might be. I gather from the symbolic pictures in the
tomb that she so -far differed from the belief of her time
that she looked for a resurrection in the flesh. It was
doubtless this that intensified the hatred of the priest-
hood, and gave them an acceptable cause for obliterating
the very existence, present and future, of one who had
outraged their theories and blasphemed their gods.
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The Jewel of Seuen Stars

All that she might require, either in the accomplishment
of the resurrection or after it, were contained in that
almost hermetically sealed suite of chambers in the
rock. In the great sarcophagus, which as you know is
of a size quite unusual even for kings, was the mummy
of her Familiar, the cat, which from its great size I take
to be a sort of tiger-cat. In the tomb, also in a strong
receptacle, were the canopic jars usually containing
those internal organs which, are separately embalmed,
but which in this case had no such contents. So that,
I take it, there was in her case a departure in embalming ;
and that the organs were restored to the body, each in
its proper place— if, indeed, they had ever been re-
moved. If this surmise be true, we shall find that the
brain of the Queen either was never extracted in the
usual way, or, if so taken out, that it was duly replaced,
instead of being enclosed within the mummy wrappings.
Finally, in the sarcophagus there was the Magic Coffer
on which her feet rested. Mark you also, the care taken
in the preservance of her power to control the elements.
According to her belief, the open hand outside the
wrappings controlled the Air, and the strange Jewel
Stone with the shining stars controlled Fire. The sym-
bolism inscribed on the soles of her feet gave sway over
Land and Water. About the Star Stone I shall tell you
later; but whilst we are speaking of the sarcophagus,
mark how she guarded her secret in case of grave-
wrecking or intrusion. None could open her Magic
Coffer without the lamps, for we know now that ordinary
light will not be effective. The great lid of the sar-
cophagus was not sealed down as usual, because she
wished to control the air. But she hid the lamps, which
in structure belong to the Magic Coffer, in a place where
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The Jewel o£ SeDen Sfcars

none could find them, except by following the secret
guidance which she had prepared for only the eyes of
wisdom. And even here she . had guarded against
chance discovery, by preparing a bolt of death for the
unwary discoverer. To do this she had applied the
lesson of the tradition of the avenging guard of the
treasures of the pyramid, built by her great predecessor
of the Fourth Dynasty of the throne of Egypt.

"You have noted, I suppose, how there were, in
the case of her tomb, certain deviations from the usual
rules. For instance, the shaft of the Mummy Pit, which
is usually filled up solid with stones and rubbish, was
left open. "Why was this? I take it that she had
made arrangements for leaving the tomb when, after
her resurrection, she should be a' new woman, with a
different personality, and less inured to the hardships
that in her first existence she had suffered. So far as we
can judge of her intent, all thing needful for her exit
into the world had been thought of, even to the iron
chain, described by Van Huyn, close to the door in the
rock, by which she might be able to lower herself to the
ground. That she expected a long period to elapse
was shown in the choice of material. An ordinary rope
would be rendered weaker or unsafe in process of time,
but she imagined, and rightly, that the iron would
endure.

"What her intentions were when once she trod the
open earth afresh we do not know, and we never shall,
unless her own dead lips can soften and speak.

XV
The Purpose o§ Queen Tera

NOW, as to the Star Jewel! This she manifestly
regarded as the greatest of her treasures. On it
she had engraven words which none of her time dared
to speak.

' ' In the old Egyptian belief it was held that there
were words, which, if used properly — for the method
of speaking them was as important as the words them-
selves — could command the Lords of the Upper and
the Lower Worlds. The 'hekau,' or word of power, was
all important in certain ritual. On the Jewel of Seven
Stars, which, as you know, is carved into the image of a
scarab, are graven in hieroglyphic two such hekau, one
above, the other underneath. But you will understand
better when you see it! Wait here! Do not stir!"

As he spoke, he rose and left the room. A great fear
for him came over me; but I was in some strange way
relieved when I looked at Margaret. Whenever there
had been any possibility of danger to her father, she
had shown great fear for him; now she was calm and
placid. I said nothing, but waited.

In two or three minutes Mr. Trelawny returned. He
held in his hand a little golden box. This, as he re-
sumed his seat, he placed before him on the table. We
all leaned forward as he opened it.

On a lining of white satin lay a wondrous ruby of
ar6

The Jetuel of Seoen Stars

immense size, almost as big as the top joint of Margaret's
little finger. It was carven — it could not possibly have
been its natural shape, but jewels do not show the work-
ing of the tool — into the shape of a scarab, with its wings
folded, and its legs and feelers pressed back to its sides.
Shining through its wondrous "pigeon's blood" color

were seven different stars, each of seven points, in such
position that they reproduced exactly the figure of the
Plough. There could be no possible mistake as to this
in the mind of any one who had ever noted the constel-
lation. On it were some hieroglyphic figures, cut with
the most exquisite precision, as I could see when it
came to my turn to use the magnifying-glass, which Mr.
Trelawny took from his pocket and handed to us.

When we had all seen it fully, Mr. Trelawny turned
it over so that it rested on its back in a cavity made to
hold it in the upper half of the box. The reverse was no
less wonderful than the upper, being carved to resemble
the under side of the beetle. It, too, had some hiero-
glyphic figures cut on it. Mr. Trelawny resumed his
lecture as we all sat with our heads close to this wonder-
ful jewel;

"As you see, there are two words, one on the top, the
other underneath. The symbols on the top represent a
single word, composed of one syllable prolonged, with
217

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

its determinatives. You know, all of you, I suppose,
that the Egyptian language was phonetic, and that the
hieroglyphic symbol represented the sound. The first
symbol here, the hoe, means 'mer,' and the two pointed
ellipses the prolongation of the final r: mer-r-r. The
sitting figure with the hand to its face is what we call
the ' determinative ' of ' thought ' ; and the roll of papyrus
that of 'abstraction.' Thus we get the word 'mer,'
love, in its abstract, general, and fullest sense. This is
the hekau which can command the Upper World."

Margaret's face was a glory as she said in a deep,
low, ringing tone:

"Oh, but it is true. How the old wonder-workers
guessed at almighty Truth!" Then a hot blush swept
her face, and her eyes fell. Her father smiled at her
lovingly as he resumed:

"The symbolisation of the word on the reverse is
simpler, though the meaning is more abstruse. The first
symbol means 'men,' 'abiding,' and the second, 'ab,' 'the
heart.' So that we get 'abiding of heart,' or in our own
language 'patience.' And this is the hekau to control
the Lower World!"

He closed the box, and motioning us to remain as we
were, he went back to his room to replace the Jewel in
the safe. When he had returned and resumed his seat,
he went on:

"That Jewel, with its mystic words, which Queen Tera
held under her hand in her sarcophagus, was to be .an
important factor — probably the most important — in the
working out of the act of her resurrection. From the
first, I seemed by a sort of instinct to realise this. I kept
the Jewel within my great safe, whence none could extract
it; not even Queen Tera herself with her astral body."
218

The Jewel og Seoen Stars

"Her 'astral body'? "What is that, Father? What
does it mean?" There was a keenness in Margaret's
voice as she asked the question which surprised me a
little ; but Trelawny smiled a sort of indulgent parental
smile, which came through his grim solemnity like sun-
shine through a rifted cloud, as he spoke:

"The astral body, which became a part of Buddhist
belief, long subsequent to the time I speak of, and which
is an accepted fact of modern mysticism, had its rise in
Ancient Egypt; at least, so far as we know. It is that
the gifted individual can at will, quick as thought itself,
transfer his body whithersoever he chooses, by the dis-
solution and reincarnation of particles. By the way, in
the ancient belief there were several parts of a human
being. You may as well know them; so that you will
understand matters relative to them or dependent on
them as they occur.

" First there is the ' Ka,' or ' Double,' which, as Doctor
Budge explains, may be defined as 'an abstract indi-
viduality of personality ' which was imbued with all
the characteristic attributes of the individual it repre-
sented, and possessed an absolutely independent exist-
ence. It was free to move from place to place upon the
earth at will; and it could enter into heaven and hold
converse with the gods. Then there was the 'Ba,' or
'soul,' which dwelt in the 'Ka,' and had the power of
becoming corporeal or incorporeal at will; 'it had both
substance and form. ... It had power to leave the
tomb. ... It could revisit the body in the tomb . . .
and could reanimate it and hold converse with it.'
Again, there was the 'Khu,* the 'spiritual intelligence,'
or spirit. It took the form of 'a shining, luminous,
intangible shape of the body.' . . . Then again there
219

The Jetoel of Senen Stars

was the 'Sekhem,' or 'power' of a man, his strength or
vital force personified. These with the 'Khaibit,' or
'shadow,' the 'Ren,' or 'name.' the 'Khat,' or 'physical
body,' and 'Ab,' the 'heart,' in which life was seated,
went to the full making up of a man.

"Thus you will see, that if this division of functions,
spiritual and bodily, ethereal and corporeal, ideal and
actual, be accepted as exact, there are all the possibili-
ties and capabilities of corporeal transference, guided
always by an unimprisonable will or intelligence." As
he paused I murmured the lines from Shelley's "Pro-
metheus Unbound":

"The Magus Zoroaster . . .
Met his own image walking in the garden."

Mr. Trelawny was not displeased. "Quite so!" he
said, in his quiet way. "Shelley had a better conception
of ancient beliefs than had any of our other poets."
"With a voice changed again he resumed his lecture, for
so it was to some of us :

"There is another belief of the ancient Egyptian
which you must bear in mind ; that regarding the
ushaptiu figures of Osiris, which were placed with the
dead to do its work in the Under World. The enlarge-
ment of this idea came to a belief that it was possible
to transmit, by magical formulas, the soul and qualities
of any living creature to a figure made in its image. This
would give a terrible extension of power to one who held
the gift of magic.

" It is from a union of these various beliefs, and their
natural corollaries, that I have come to the conclusion
that Queen Tera expected to be able to effect her own
resurrection, when, and where, and how, she would.

The Jetoel off Seoen Stars

That she may have held before her a definite time for
making her effort is not only possible but likely. I
shall not stop now to explain it, but shall enter upon
the subject later on. With a soul with the Gods, a
spirit which could wander the earth at will, and a power
of corporeal transference, or an astral body, there need
be no bounds or limits to her ambition. The belief is
forced upon us that for these forty or fifty centuries she
lay dormant in her tomb, waiting. Waiting with that
'patience' which could rule the Gods of the Under
World, for that 'love' which could command those of
the Upper World. What she may have dreamed we
know not ; but her dream must have been broken when
the Dutch explorer entered her sculptured cavern, and
his follower violated the sacred privacy of her tomb
by his rude outrage in the theft of her hand.

"That theft, with all that followed, proved to us one
thing, however: that each part of her body, though
separated from the rest, can be a central point or rally-
ing-place for the items or particles of her astral body.
That hand in my room could insure her instantaneous
presence in the flesh, and its equally rapid dissolution.

"Now comes the crown of my argument. The pur-
pose of the attack on me was to get the safe open, so
that the sacred Jewel of Seven Stars could be extracted.
That immense door of the safe could not keep out her
astral body, which, or any part of it, could gather itself
as well within as without the safe. And I doubt not
that in the darkness of the night that mummied hand
sought often the Talisman Jewel, and drew new in-
spiration from its touch. But despite all its power,
the astral body could not remove the Jewel through the
chinks of the safe. The Ruby is not astral ; and it could

The Jewel o£ Seoen Stars

only be moved in the ordinary way by the opening of the
doors. To this end, the Queen used her astral body
and the fierce force of her Familiar, to bring to the key-
hole of the safe the master key which debarred her
wish. For years I have suspected, nay, have believed
as much; and I, too, guarded myself against powers
of the Nether World. I, too, waited in patience till I
should have gathered together all the factors required
for the opening of the Magic Coffer and the resurrection
of the mummied Queen." He paused, and his daughter's
voice came out sweet and clear, and full of intense
feeling:

"Father, in the Egyptian belief, was the power of
resurrection of a mummied body a general one, or was
it limited? That is: could it achieve resurrection many
times in the course of ages; or only once, and that one
final?"

"There was but one resurrection!" he answered.
"There were some who believed that this was to be a
definite resurrection of the body into the real world.
But in the common belief, the Spirit found joy in the
Elysian Fields, where there was plenty of food and no
fear of famine. Where there was moisture and deep-
rooted reeds, and all the joys that are to be expected
by the people of an arid land and burning clime."

Then Margaret spoke with an earnestness which
showed the conviction of her inmost soul:

"To me, then, it is given to understand what was the
dream of this great and far-thinking and high-souled
lady of old; the dream that held her soul in patient
waiting for its realisation through the passing of all
those tens of centuries. The dream of a love that might ,
be; a love that she felt she might, even under new

223

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

conditions, herself evoke. The love that is the dream
of every woman's life ; of the Old and of the New ; Pagan
or Christian; under whatever sun; in whatever rank
or calling; however may have been the joy or pain of her
life in other ways. Oh! I know it! I know it! I am a
woman, and I know a woman's heart. What were the
lack of food or the plenitude of it; what were feast or
famine to this woman, born in a palace, with the shadow
of the Crown of the Two Egypts on her brows ! "What
were reedy morasses or the tinkle of running water to
her whose barges could sweep the great Nile from the
mountains to the sea! What were petty joys and
absence of petty fears to her, the raising of whose hand
could hurl armies, or draw to the water-stairs of her
palaces the commerce of the world! At whose word
rose temples filled with all the artistic beauty of the
Times of Old which it was her aim and pleasure to re-
store! Under whose guidance the solid rock yawned
into the sepulchre that she designed!

"Surely, surely, such a one had nobler dreams! I can
feel them in my heart ; I can see them with my sleeping
eyes!"

As she spoke she seemed to be inspired ; and her eyes
had a far-away look as though they saw something
beyond mortal sight. And then the deep eyes filled
up with unshed tears of great emotion. The very
soul of the woman seemed to speak in her voice; whilst
we who listened sat entranced.

"I can see her in her loneliness and in the silence of
her mighty pride, dreaming her own dream of things
far different from those around her. Of some other
land, far, far away under the canopy of the silent night,
lit by the cool, beautiful light of the stars. A land under
223

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

that Northern star, whence blew the sweet winds that
cooled the feverish desert air. A land of wholesome
greenery, far, far away. Where were no scheming and
malignant priesthood; whose ideas were to lead to
power through gloomy temples and more gloomy cav-
erns of the dead; through an endless ritual of death!
A land where love was not base, but a divine possession
of the soul. Where there might be some one kindred
spirit which could speak to hers through mortal lips like
her own ; whose being could merge with hers in a sweet
communion of soul to soul, even as their breaths could
mingle in the ambient air! I know the feeling, for I
have shared it myself. I may speak of it now, since the
blessing has come into my own life. I may speak of it,
since it enables me to interpret the feelings, the very
longing soul, of that sweet and lovely Queen, so different
■ from her surroundings, so high above her time! Whose
nature, put into a word, could control the forces of the
Under World; and the name of whose aspiration, though
but graven on a star-lit jewel, could command all the
powers in the Pantheon of the High Gods.

"And in the realisation of that dream she will surely
be content to rest!"

We men sat silent, as the young girl gave her powerful
interpretation of the design or purpose of the woman of
old. Her every word and tone carried with it the con-
viction of her own belief. The loftiness of her thoughts
seemed to uplift us all as we listened. Her noble words,
flowing in musical cadence and vibrant with internal
force, seemed to issue from some great instrument of ele-
mental power. Even her tone was new to us all; so
that we listened as to some new and strange being from
a new and strange world. Her father's face was full of
224

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

delight. I knew now its cause. I understood the hap-
piness that had come into his life, on his return to the
world that he knew, from that prolonged sojourn in the
world of dreams. To find in his daughter, whose nature
he had never till now known, such a wealth of affection,
such a splendor of spiritual insight, such a scholarly
imagination, such . . . The rest of his feeling was of hope !

The two other men were silent unconsciously. One
man had had his dreaming; for the other, his dreams
were to come.

For myself, I was like one in a trance. Who was this
new, radiant being who had won to existence out of the
mist and darkness of our fears. Love has divine possi-
bilities for the lover's heart! The wings of the soul may
expand at any time from the shoulders of the loved
one, who then may sweep into angel form. I knew that
in my Margaret's nature were divine possibilities of many
kinds. When under the shade of the overhanging wil-
low-tree on the river, I had gazed into the depths of her
beautiful eyes, I had thenceforth a strict belief in the
manifold beauties and excellences of her nature; but
this soaring and understanding spirit was, indeed, a
revelation. My pride, like her Father's, was outside
myself; my joy and rapture were complete and supreme !

When we had all got back to earth again in our
various ways, Mr. Trelawny, holding his daughter's hand
in his, went on with his discourse:

"Now, as to the time at which Queen Tera intended
her resurrection to take place ! We are in contact with
some of the higher astronomical calculations in connec-
tion with true orientation. As you know, the stars shift
their relative positions in the heavens ; but though the
real distances traversed are beyond all ordinary compre-
225

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

hension, the effects as we see them are small. Neverthe-
less, they are susceptible of measurement, not by years,
indeed, but by centuries. It was by this means that
Sir John Herschel arrived at the date of the building of
the Great Pyramid — a date fixed by the time necessary
to change the star of the true north from Draconis to the
Pole Star, and since then verified by later discoveries.
From the above there can be no doubt whatever that
astronomy was an exact science with the Egyptians at
least a thousand years before the time of Queen Tera.
Now, the stars that go to malce up a constellation change
in process of time their relative positions, and the Plough
is a notable example. The changes in the position of
stars in even forty centuries is so small as to be hardly
noticeable by an eye not trained to minute observances,
but they can be measured and verified. Did you, or
any of you, notice how exactly the stars in the Ruby
correspond to the position of the stars in the Plough; or
how the same holds with regard to the translucent
places in the Magic Coffer?"

"We all assented. He went on :

"You are quite correct. They correspond exactly.
And yet when Queen Tera was laid in her tomb, neither
the stars in the Jewel nor the translucent places in the
Coffer corresponded to the position of the stars in the
Constellation as they then were!"

We looked at each other as he paused; a new light
was breaking upon us. With a ring of mastery in his
voice he went on :

"Do you not see the meaning of this? Does it not

throw a light on the intention of the Queen? She, who

was guided by augury, and magic, and superstition,

naturally chose a time for her resurrection which seemed

226

The Jetoel of Set>en Stars

to have been pointed out by the High Gods themselves,
who had sent their message on a thunderbolt from other
worlds. When such a time was fixed by supernal wis-
dom, would it not be the height of human wisdom to
avail of it? Thus it is" — here his voice deepened and
trembled with the intensity of his feeling — "that to us
and our time is given the opportunity of this wondrous
peep into the old world, such as has been the privilege
of none other of our time; which may never be again.

" Prom first to last the cryptic writing and symbolism
of that wondrous tomb of that wondrous woman is full
of guiding light ; and the key of the many mysteries lies
in that most wondrous Jewel which she held in her dead
hand over the dead heart, which she hoped and believed
would beat again in a newer and nobler world !

"There are only loose ends now to consider. Mar-
garet has given us the true inwardness of the feeling of
the other Queen!" He looked at her fondly, and stroked
her hand as he said it : "For my own part I sincerely
hope she is right ; for in such case it will be a joy, I
am sure, to all of us to assist at such a realisation of
hope. But we must not go too fast, or believe too
much in our present state of knowledge. The voice that
we hearken for comes out of times strangely other than
our own; when human life counted for little, and when
the morality of the time made little account of the re-
moving of obstacles in the way to achievement of desire.
We must keep our eyes fixed on the scientific side, and
wait for the developments on the psychical side.

"Now, as to this stone box, which we call the Magic
Coffer. As I have said, I am convinced that it opens
only in obedience to some principle of light, or the exer-
cise of some of its forces at present unknown to us.
227

The Jetoel of Seuen Stars

There is here much ground for conjecture and for ex-
periment ; for as yet the scientists have not thoroughly
differentiated the kinds, and powers, and degrees of
light. Without analysing various rays we may, I
think, take it for granted that there are different quali-
ties and powers of light; and this great field of scien-
tific investigation is almost virgin soil. We know as yet
so little of natural forces, that imagination need set no
bounds to its flights in considering the possibilities of
the future. Within but a few years we have made such
discoveries as two centuries ago would have sent the dis-
coverers to the flames. The liquefaction of oxygen; the
existence of radium, of helium, of polonium, of argon;
the different powers of Rontgen and Cathode and Bec-
querel rays. And as we may finally prove that there are
different kinds and qualities of light, so we may find
that combustion may have its own powers of differ-
entiation; that there are qualities in some flames non-
existent in others. It may be that some of the essential
conditions of substance are continuous, even in the de-
struction of their bases. Last night I was thinking of
this, and reasoning that as there are certain qualities in
some oils which are not in others, so there may be cer-
tain similar or corresponding qualities or powers in the
combinations of each. I suppose we have all noticed
some time or other that the light of colza oil is not quite
the same as that of paraffin, or that the flames of coal-
gas and whale-oil are different. They find it so in the
light-houses ! All at once it occurred to me that there
might be some special virtue in the oil which had been
found in the jars when Queen Tera's tomb was opened.
These had not been used to preserve the intestines as
usual, so they must have been placed there for some

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

other purpose. I remembered that in Van Huyn's nar-
rative he had commented on the way the jars were
sealed. This was lightly, though effectually; they could
be opened without force. The jars were themselves
preserved in a sarcophagus which, though of immense
strength and hermetically sealed, could be opened easily.
Accordingly, I went at once to examine the jars. A
little — very little of the oil still remained, but it had
grown thick in the two and a half centuries in which the
jars had been open. Still, it was not rancid; and on
examining it I found it was cedar oil, and that it still
exhaled something of its original aroma. This gave me
the idea that it was to be used to fill the lamps. Whoever
had placed the oil in the jars, and the jars in the sar-
cophagus, knew that there might be shrinkage in process
of time, even in vases of alabaster, and fully allowed for
it; for each of the jars would have filled the lamps half
a dozen times. With part of the oil remaining I made
some experiments, therefore, which may give useful re-
sults. You know, Doctor, that cedar oil, which was
much used in the preparation and ceremonials of the
Egyptian dead, has a certain refractive power which we
do not find in other oils. For instance, we use it on the
lenses of our microscopes to give additional clearness of
vision. Last night I put some in one of the lamps, and
placed it near a translucent part of the Magic Coffer.
The effect was very great ; the glow of light within was
fuller and more intense than I could have imagined,
where an electric light similarly placed had little, if
any, effect. I should have tried others of the seven
lamps, but that my supply of oil ran out. This, how-
ever, is on the road to rectification. I have sent for
more cedar oil, and expect to have before long an am-
229

The Jewel o£ Secen Stars

pie supply. Whatever may happen from other causes,
our experiment shall not, at all events, fail from this.
We shall see! We shall see!"

Doctor Winchester had evidently been following the
logical process of the other's mind, for his comment was :

"I do hope that when the light is effective in opening
the box, the mechanism will not be impaired or de-
stroyed."

His doubt as to this gave anxious thought to some
of us.

Powers — Old and Kevo

THE time wore away ; wondrous slowly in some ways,
wonderfully quickly in others. To-day, in the new-
found joyous certainty of my love being returned, I
should have liked to have had Margaret all to myself.
But this day was not for love or for love-making. The
shadow of fearful expectation was over it. The more
I thought over the coming experiment, the more strange
it all seemed; and the more foolish were we who were
deliberately entering upon it. It was all so stupendous,
so mysterious, so unnecessary! The issues were so vast;
the danger so strange, so unknown. Even if it should
be successful, what new difficulties would it not raise!
What changes might happen, did men know that the
portals of the House of Death were not in very truth
eternally fixed; and that the Dead could come forth
again! Could we realise what it was for us modern
mortals to be arrayed against the Gods of Old, with their
mysterious powers gotten from natural forces, or begot-
ten of them when the world was young. When land and
water were forming themselves from out the primeval
slime. When the very air was purifying itself from ele-
mental dross. When the "dragons of the prime" were
changing their forms and their powers, made only to
combat with geologic forces, to grow in accord with the
new vegetable life which was springing up around them.
231

The Jewel of! Seuen Stars

When animals, when even man himself and man's ad-
vance were growths as natural as the planetary move-
ments, or the shining of the stars. Ay! and further back
still, when as yet the Spirit which moved on the face of
the waters had not spoken the words commanding to
come into existence Light and the Life which followed it.
Nay, even beyond this was a still more overwhelming
conjecture. The whole possibility of the Great Experi-
ment to which we were now pledged was based on the
reality of the existence of the Old Forces which seemed
to be coming in contact with the New. That there were,
and are, such cosmic forces we cannot doubt, and that
the Intelligence, which is behind them, was and is. Were
those primal and elemental forces controlled at any time
by other than that Final Cause which Christendom holds
as its very essence? If there were truth at all in the
belief of Ancient Egypt then their Gods had real exist-
ence, real power, real force. Godhead is not a quality
subject to the ills of mortals: as in its essence it is cre-
ative and recreative, it cannot die. Any belief to the
contrary would be antagonistic to reason; for it would
hold that a part is greater than the whole. If then the
Old Gods held their forces, wherein was the supremacy
of the new? Of course, if the Old Gods had lost their
power, or if they never had any, the Experiment could
not succeed. But if it should indeed succeed, or if
there were a possibility of success, then we should be
face to face with an inference so overwhelming that one
hardly dared to follow it to its conclusion. This would
be : that the struggle between Life and Death would no
longer be a matter of the earth, earthy; that the war of
supra-elemental forces would be moved from the tangible
world of facts to the Mid-Region, wherever it may be,
232

The Jewel ol Seuen Stars

which is the home of the Gods. Did such a region exist?
What was it that Milton saw with his blind eyes .in the
rays of poetic light falling between him and Heaven?
Whence came that stupendous vision of the Evangelist
which has for eighteen centuries held spellbound the
intelligence of Christendom. Was there room in the
Universe for opposing Gods; or if such there were, would
the stronger allow manifestations of power on the part
of the opposing Force which would tend to the weaken-
ing of His own teaching and designs? Surely, surely, if
this supposition were correct there would be some
strange and awful development — something unexpected
and unpredicable — before the end should be allowed to
come . . . !

The subject was too vast and, under the present con-
ditions, too full of strange surmises. I dared not follow
it ! I set myself to wait in patience till the time should
come.

Margaret remained divinely calm. I think I envied
her, even whilst I admired and loved her for it. Mr.
Trelawny was nervously anxious, as indeed were the
other men. With him it took the form of movement;
movement both of body and mind. In both respects
he was restless, going from one place to another with or
without a cause, or even a pretext ; and changing from
one -subject of thought to another. Now and again he
would show glimpses of the harrowing anxiety which
filled him, by his manifest expectation of finding a sim-
. ilar condition in others of us. He would be ever ex-
plaining things. And in his explanations I could see the
way.; in. -which he was turning over in his mind all the
phenomena; all the possible causes; allthe possible results.
Once, in the midst of a most learned dissertation on the

;r 233

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

growth of Egyptian Astrology, lie broke out on a different
subject, or rather a branch or corollary of the same:

" I do not see why starlight may not have some subtle
quality of its own! "We know that other lights have
special forces. The Rontgen Ray is not the only dis-
covery to be made in the world of light. Sunlight has
its own forces, that are not given to other lights. It
warms wine ; it quickens fungoid growth. Men are often
moonstruck. Why not, then, a more subtle, if less ac-
tive or powerful, force in the light of the stars? It should
be a pure light coming through such vastness of space,
and may have a quality which a pure, unimpulsive
force may have. The time may not be far off when
Astrology shall be accepted on a scientific basis. In the
recrudescence of the art, many new experiences will be
brought to bear ; many new phases of old wisdom will
appear in the light of fresh discovery, and afford bases
for new reasoning. Men may find that what seemed
empiric deductions were in reality the results of a loftier
intelligence and a learning greater than our own. We
know already that the whole of the living world is full
of microbes of varying powers and of methods of work-
ing quite antagonistic. We do not know yet whether
they can He latent until quickened by some ray of light
as yet unidentified as a separate and peculiar force. As
yet we know nothing of what goes to create or evoke
the active spark of life. We have no knowledge of the
methods of conception ; of the laws which govern molec-
ular or fcetal growth, of the final influences which at-
tend birth. Year by year, day by day, hour by hour,
we are learning; but the end is far, far off. It seems to
me that we are now in that stage of intellectual progress
in which the rough machinery for making discovery is
234

The Jetoel of? Seoen Stars

being invented. Later on, we shall have enough of first
principles to help us in the development of equipment
for the true study of the inwardness of things. Then
we may perhaps arrive at the perfection of means to an
end which the scholars of Old Nile achieved at a time
when Methuselah was beginning to brag about the num-
ber of his years, perhaps even when the great-grand-
children of Adam were coming to regard the old man
as what our Transatlantic friends call a 'back number.'
Is it possible, for instance, that the people who invent-
ed Astronomy did not finally use instruments of ex-
traordinary precision; that applied optics was not a cult
of some of the specialists in the Colleges of the Theban
priesthood ? The Egyptians were essentially specialists.
It is true that, in so far as we can. judge, the range of
their study was limited to subjects connected with their
aims of government on earth by controlling all that
bore on the life to follow it. But can any one imagine
that by the eyes of men, unaided by lenses of wondrous
excellence, Astronomy was brought to such a pitch that
the true orientation of temples and pyramids and
tombs followed for four thousand years the wanderings
of the planetary systems in space. If an instance of
their knowledge of microscopy is wanted let me hazard
a conjecture. How was it that in their hieroglyphic
writing they took as the symbol or determinative of
' flesh ' the very form which the science of to-day, relying
on the revelations of a microscope of a thousand powers,
gives to protoplasm—that unit of living organism which
has been differentiated as 'Plagellula.' If they could
make analysis like this, why may they not have gone
further ? In that wonderful atmosphere of theirs, where
sunlight fierce and clear is perpetually co-existent with
235

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

day, where the dryness of earth and air gives perfect
refraction, why may they not have learned secrets of
light hidden from us in the density of our northern
mists? May it not have been possible that they learned
to store light, just as we have learned to store electricity ?
Nay more, is it not even possible that they did so?
They must have had some form of artificial light which
they used in the construction and adornment of those
vast caverns hewn in the solid rock which became whole
cemeteries of the dead. Why, some of these caverns,
with their labyrinthine windings and endless passages
and chambers, all sculptured and graven and painted
with an elaboration of detail which absolutely bewilders
one, must have taken years and years to complete. And
yet in them is no mark of smoke, such as lamps or
torches would have left behind them. Again, if they
knew how to store light, is it not possible that they had
learned to understand and separate its component ele-
ments? And if these men of old arrived at such a point,
may not we too in the fulness of time? We shall see!
We shall see!

"There is another matter, too, on which recent dis-
coveries in science throw a light. It is only a glimmer
at present; a glimmer sufficient to illuminate probabili-
ties, rather than actualities, or even possibilities. The
discoveries of the Curies and Laborde, of Sir William
Crookes and Becquerel, may have far-reaching results on
Egyptian investigation. This new metal, radium — or
rather this old metal of which our knowledge is new —
may have been known to the ancients. Indeed it may
have been used thousands of years ago in greater
degree than seems possible to-day. As yet Egypt has
not been named as a place where the discovery of
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The Jetoel o£ Seoen Stars

pitchblende, in which only as far as is known yet radium
is contained, may be made. And yet it is more than
probable that radium exists in Egypt. That country
has perhaps the greatest masses of granite to be found
in the world ; and pitchblende is found as a vein in
granitic rocks. In no place, at no time, has granite ever
been quarried in such proportions as in Egypt during
the earlier dynasties. Who may say what great veins
of pitchblende may not have been found in the gigantic
operations of hewing out columns for the temples, or
great stones for the pyramids? Why, veins of pitch-
blende, of a richness unknown in our recent mines in
Cornwall, or Bohemia, or Saxony, or Hungary, or Turkey,
or Colorado, may have been found by these old quarry-
men of Aswan, or Turra, or Mokattam, or Elephantine.
" Beyond this again, it is possible that here and there
amongst these vast granite quarries may have been found
not merely veins but masses or pockets of pitchblende.
In such case the power at the disposal of those who
knew how to use it must have been wonderful. The
learning of Egypt was kept amongst its priests, and in
their vast colleges must have been men of great learning;
men who knew well how to exercise to the best ad-
vantage, and in the direction they wished, the terrific
forces at their command. And if pitchblende did and
does exist in Egypt, do you not think that much of it
must have been freed by the gradual attrition and
wearing down of the granitic rocks? Time and weather
bring in time all rocks to dust; the very sands of the
desert, which in centuries have buried in this very land
some of the greatest monuments of man's achievement,
are the evidences of the fact. If, then, radium is
divisible into such minute particles as the scientists tell
237

The Jewel off Serjen Stars

us, it too must have been freed in time from its granite
prison and left to work in the air. One might almost
hazard a suggestion that the taking the scarab as the
symbol of life may not have been without an empiric
basis. Might it not be possible that Coprophagi have
power or instinct to seize upon the minute particles of
heat-giving, light -giving — perhaps life-giving— radium,
and enclose them with their ova in those globes of matter
which they roll so assiduously, and from which they
take their early name, Pilulariai. In the billions of tons
of the desert waste there is surely mingled some pro-
portion of each of the earths and rocks and metals of
their zone; and, each to each, nature forms her living
entities to flourish on those without life.

"Travellers tell us that glass left in tropic deserts
changes color, and darkens in the fierce sunlight, just
as it does under the influence of the rays of radium.
Does not this imply some sort of similarity between the
two forces yet to be identified?"

These scientific, or quasi -scientific discussions soothed
me. They took my mind from brooding on the mys-
teries of the occult, by attracting it to the wonders of
nature.

The Caoem

IN the evening Mr. Trelawny took again the whole
party into the study. When we were all attention
he began to unfold his plans :

"I have come to the conclusion that for the proper
carrying out of what we will call our Great Experiment
we must have absolute and complete isolation. Isola-
tion not merely for a day or two, but for as long as we
may require. Here such a thing would be impossible;
the needs and habits of a great city with its ingrained
possibilities of interruption would, or might, quite upset
us. Telegrams, registered letters, or express messengers
would alone be sufficient; but the great army of those
who want to get something would make disaster certain.
In addition, the occurrences of the last week have drawn
police attention to this house. Even if special instruc-
tions to keep an eye on it have not been issued from
Scotland Yard or the District Station, you may be sure
that the individual policeman on his rounds will keep it
well under observation. Besides, the servants who
have discharged themselves will before long begin to
talk. They must; for they have, for the sake of their
own characters, to give some reason for the termination
of a service which has I should say a position in the
neighborhood. The servants of the neighbors will begin
to talk, and, perhaps the neighbors themselves. Then
2 39

The Jewel of" Seoen Sfcars

the active and intelligent Press will, with its usual zeal
for the enlightenment of the public and its eye to in-
crease of circulation, get hold of the matter. "When
the reporter is after us we shall not have much chance
of privacy. Even if we were to bar ourselves in, we
should not be free from interruption, possibly from in-
trusion. Either would ruin our plans; and so we must
take measures to effect a retreat, carrying all our im-
pedimenta with us. For this I am prepared. For a
long time past I have foreseen such a possibility, and
have made preparation for it. Of course, I had no fore-
knowledge of what has happened ; but I knew something
would, or might, happen. For more than two years past,
my house in Cornwall has been made ready to receive
all the curios which are preserved here. When Corbeck
went off on his search for the lamps I had the old house
at KylHon made ready ; it is fitted with electric light all
over, and all the appliances for manufacture of the
light are complete. I had perhaps better tell you, for
none of you, not even Margaret, knows anything of it,
that the house is absolutely shut out from public access
or even from view. It stands on a little rocky
promontory behind a steep hill, and except from the sea
cannot be seen. Of old it was fenced in by a high stone
wall, for the house which it succeeded was built by an
ancestor of mine in the days when a great house far
away from a centre had to be prepared to defend itself.
Here, then, is a place so well adapted to our needs that
it might have been prepared on purpose. I shall ex-
plain it to you when we are all there. This will not be
long, for already our movement is in train. I have sent
word to Marvin to have all preparation for our transport
ready. He is to have a special train, which is to run
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The Jewel of Seocn Stars

at night so as to avoid notice. Also a number of carts
and stone-wagons, with sufficient men and appliances
to take all our packing-cases to Paddington. We shall
be away before the Argus-eyed Pressman is on the
watch. We shall to-day begin our packing up; and I
dare say that by to-morrow night we shall be ready.
In the outhouses I have all the packing-cases which
were used for bringing the things from Egypt, and I am
satisfied that as they were sufficient for the journey
across the desert and down the Nile to Alexandria and
thence on to London, they will serve without fail be-
tween here and Kyllion. We four men, with Margaret
to hand us such things as we may require, will be able to
get the things packed safely; and the carrier's men will
take them to the trucks.

"To-day the servants go to Kyllion, and Mrs. Grant
will make such arrangements as may be required. She .
will take a stock of necessaries with her, so that we will
not attract local attention by our daily needs ; and will
keep us supplied with perishable food from London.
Thanks to Margaret's wise and generous treatment of
the servants who decided to remain, we have got a staff
on which we can depend. They have been already
cautioned to secrecy, so that we need not fear gossip
from within. Indeed, as the servants will be in London
after their preparations at Kyllion are complete, there
will not be much subject for gossip, in detail at any rate.

"As, however, we should commence the immediate
work of packing 'at once, we will leave over the after
proceedings till later when we have leisure."

Accordingly we set about our work. Under Mr.
Trelawny's guidance, and aided by the servants, we
took from the outhouses great packing-cases. Some
241

The Jetcel of Seoen Stars .

of these were of enormous strength, fortified by many-
thicknesses of wood, and by iron bands and rods with
screw-ends and nuts. We placed them throughout the
house, each close to the object which it was to contain.
When this preliminary work had been effected, and there
had been placed in each room and in the hall great
masses of new hay, cotton-waste and paper, the servants
were sent away. Then we set about packing.

No one, not accustomed to packing, could have the
slightest idea of the amount of work involved in such
a task as that in which we were engaged. For my own
part I had had a vague idea that there were a large
number of Egyptian objects in Mr. Trelawny's house;
but until I came to deal with them seriatim I had little
idea of either their importance, the size of some of them,
or of their endless number. Far into the night we
worked. At times we used all the strength which we
could muster on a single object; again we worked
separately, but always under Mr. Trelawny's immediate
direction. He himself, assisted by Margaret, kept an
exact tally of each piece.

It was only when we sat down, utterly wearied, to a
long -delayed supper that we began to realise that a
large part of the work was done. Only a few of the
packing-cases, however, were closed; for a vast amount
of work still remained. We had finished some of the
cases, each of which held only one of the great sarcophagi.
The cases which held many objects could not be closed
till all had been differentiated and packed.

I slept that night without movement or without
dreams; and on our comparing notes in the morning, I
found that each of the others had had the same ex-
perience.

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The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

By dinner-time next evening the whole work was
complete, and all was ready for the carriers who Were
to come at midnight. A little before the appointed time
we heard the rumble of carts; then we were shortly
invaded by an army of workmen, who seemed by sheer
force of numbers to move without effort, in an endless
procession, all our prepared packages. A little over an
hour sufficed them, and when the carts had rumbled
away, we all got ready to follow them to Paddington.
Silvio was of course to be taken as one of our
party.

Before leaving we went in a body over the house,
which looked desolate indeed. As the servants had all
gone to Cornwall there had been no attempt at tidying-
up; every room and passage in which we had worked,
and all the stairways, were strewn with paper and waste,
and marked with dirty feet.

The last thing which Mr. Trelawny did before coming
away was to take from the great safe the Ruby with the
Seven Stars. As he put it safely into his pocket-book,
Margaret, who had all at once seemed to grow deadly
tired and stood beside her Father pale and rigid, suddenly
became all aglow, as though the sight of the Jewel had
inspired her. She smiled at her Father approvingly as
she said:

"You are right, Father. There will not be any trouble
to-night. She will not wreck your arrangements for any
cause. I would stake my life upon it."

"She — or something — wrecked us in the desert when
we had come from the tomb in the Valley of the Sorcerer!"
was the grim comment of Corbeck, who was standing by.
Margaret answered him like a flash :

"Ah! she was then near her tomb, from which for
243

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

thousands of years her body had not been moved. She
must know that things are different now."

"How must she know?" asked Corbeck keenly.

"If she has that astral body that Father spoke of,
surely she must know! How can she fail to, with an
invisible presence and an intellect that can roam abroad
even to the stars and the worlds beyond us ! " She paused,
and her Father said solemnly :

"It is on that supposition that we are proceeding.
We must have the courage of our convictions, and act
on them — to the last!"

Margaret took his hand and held it in a dreamy kind
of way as we filed out of the house. She was holding
it still when he locked the hall door, and when we moved
up the road to the gateway whence we took a cab to
Paddington.

"When all the goods were loaded at the station, the
whole of the workmen went into the train; this took
also some of the stone - wagons used for carrying the
cases with the great sarcophagi. Ordinary carts and
plenty of horses were to be found at Westerton, which
was our station for Kyllion. Mr. Trelawny had ordered
a sleeping-carriage for our party; as soon as the train
had started we all turned into our cubicles.

That night I slept sound. There was over me a con-
viction of security which was absolute and supreme.
Margaret's definite announcement: "There will not be
any trouble to-night!" seemed to carry assurance with
it. I did not question it; nor did any one else. It was
only afterwards that I began to think as to how she was
so sure. The train was a slow one, stopping many times
and for considerable intervals. As Mr. Trelawny did not
wish to arrive at Westerton before dark, there was no
244

The Jewel o£ Seoen Stars

need to hurry ; and arrangements had been made to feed
the workmen at certain places on the journey. "We had
our own hampers with us in the private car.

All that afternoon we talked over the Great Ex-
periment, which seemed to have become a definite
entity in our thoughts. Mr. Trelawny became more and
more enthusiastic as the time wore on; hope was with
him becoming certainty. Doctor Winchester seemed
to become imbued with some of his spirit, though at
times he would throw out some scientific fact which
would either make an impasse to the other's line of
argument, or would come as an arresting shock. Mr.
Corbeck, on the other hand, seemed slightly antagonistic
to the theory. It may have been that whilst the opin-
ions of the others advanced, his own stood still; but the
effect was an attitude which appeared negative, if not
wholly one of negation.

As for Margaret, she seemed to be in some way over-
come. Either it was some new phase of feeling with her,
or else she was taking the issue more seriously than she
had yet done. She was generally more or less distraite,
as though sunk in a brown study ; from this she would
recover herself with a start. This was usually when
there occurred some marked episode in the journey,
such as stopping at a station, or when the thunderous
rumble of crossing a viaduct woke the echoes of the
hills or cliffs around us. On each such occasion she
would plunge into the conversation, taking such a part
in it as to show that, whatever had been her abstracted
thought, her senses had taken in fully all that had gone
on around her. Towards myself her manner was strange.
Sometimes it was marked by a distance, half shy half
haughty, which was new to me. At other times there
245

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

were moments of passion in look and gesture and voice
which almost made me dizzy with delight. Little,
however, of a marked nature transpired during the
journey. There was but one episode which had in it
any element of alarm, but as we were all asleep at the
time it did not disturb us. We only learned it from a
communicative guard in the morning. Whilst running
between Dawlish and Teignmouth the train was stopped
by a warning given by some one who moved a torch to
and fro right on the very track. The driver had found
on pulling up that just ahead of the train a small land-
slip had taken place, some of the red earth from the
high bank having fallen away. It did not however
reach to the metals; and the driver had resumed his
way, none too well pleased at the delay.

We arrived at Westerton about nine o'clock in the
evening. Carts and horses were in waiting, and the
work of unloading the train began at once. Our own
party did not wait to see the work done, as it was in
the hands of competent people. We took the carriage
which was in waiting, and through the darkness of the
night sped on to Kyllion.

We were all impressed by the house as it appeared
in the bright moonlight. A great gray stone mansion
of the Jacobean period; vast and spacious, standing high
over the sea on the very verge of a high cliff. When
we had swept round the curve of the avenue cut through
the rock, and come out on the high plateau on which
the house stood, the crash and murmur of waves break?
ing against rock far below us came with an invigorating
breath of moist sea air. We understood then in an
instant how well we were shut out from the world on
that rocky shelf above the sea.
246

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

Within the house we found all ready. Mrs. Grant
and her staff had worked well, and all was bright and
fresh and clean. We took a brief survey of the chief
rooms, and then separated to have a wash and to change
our clothes after our long journey of more than four-
and-twenty hours.

We had supper in the great dining-room on the south
side, the walls of which actually hung over the sea. The
murmur came up muffled, but it never ceased. As the
little promontory stood well out into the sea, the north-
ern side of the house was open; and the due north was
in no way shut out by the great mass of rock, which
reared high above us, shut out the rest of the world.
Far off across the bay we could see the trembling lights
of the castle, and here and there along the shore the faint
light of a fisher's window. For the rest the sea was a
dark blue plain with here and there a flicker of light as
the gleam of starlight fell on the slope of a swelling wave.

When supper was over we all adjourned to the room
which Mr. Trelawny had set aside as his study, his bed-
room being close to it. As we entered, the first thing I
noticed was a great safe, somewhat similar to that which
stood in his room in London. When we were in the
room Mr. Trelawny went over to the table, and, taking
out his pocket-book, laid it on the table. As he did so
he pressed down on it with the palm of his hand. A
strange pallor came over his face. With fingers that
trembled he opened the book, saying as he did so:

"Its bulk does not seem the same; I hope nothing
has happened!"

All three of us men crowded round close. Margaret
alone remained calm; she stood erect and silent, and
still as a statue. She had a far-away look in her eyes,
247

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

as though she did not either know or care what was going
on around her.

With a despairing gesture Trelawny threw open the
pouch of the pocket-book wherein he had placed the
Jewel of Seven Stars. As he sank down on the chair
which stood close to Mm, he said in a hoarse voice:

"My God! it is gone. Without it the Great Experi-
ment can come to nothing!"

His words seemed to wake Margaret from her intro-
spective mood. An agonised spasm swept her face; but
almost on the instant she was calm. She almost smiled
as she said:

"You may have left it in your room, Father. Perhaps
it has fallen out of the pocket-book whilst you were
changing." Without a word we all hurried into the
next room through the open door between the study
and the bedroom. And then a sudden calm fell on us like
a cloud of fear.

There! on the table, lay the Jewel of Seven Stars,
shining and sparkling with lurid light, as though each
of the seven points of each of the seven stars gleamed
through blood !

Timidly we each looked behind us, and then at each
other. Margaret was now like the rest of us. She had
lost her statuesque calm. All the introspective rigidity
had gone from her; and she clasped her hands together
till the knuckles were white.

Without a word Mr. Trelawny raised the Jewel, and
hurried with it into the next room. As quietly as he
could he opened the door of the safe with the key fast-
ened to his wrist and placed the Jewel within. When
the heavy doors were closed and locked he seemed to
breathe more freely.

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The Jewel oft Seuen Stars

Somehow this episode, though a disturbing one in
many ways, seemed to bring us back to our old selves.
Since we had left London we had all been, overstrained;
and this was a sort of relief. Another step in our
strange enterprise had been effected.

The change back was more marked in Margaret than
in any of us. Perhaps it was that she was a woman,
whilst we were men ; perhaps it was that she was young-
er than the rest ; perhaps both reasons were effective,
each in its own way. At any rate the change was there,
and I was happier than I had been through the long
journey. All her buoyancy, her tenderness, her deep
feeling seemed to shine forth once more ; now and again
as her Father's eyes rested on her, his face seemed to
light up.

Whilst we waited for the carts to arrive, Mr.Trelawny
took us through the house, pointing out and explaining
where the objects which we had brought with us were
to be placed. In one respect only did he withhold con-
fidence. The positions of all those things which had
connection with the Great Experiment were not indi-
cated. The cases containing them were to be left in
the outer hall, for the present.

By the time we had made the survey, the carts began
to arrive; and the stir and bustle of the previous night
were renewed. Mr. Trelawny stood in the hall beside
the massive iron-bound door, and gave directions as to
the placing of each of the great packing-cases. Those
containing many items were placed in the inner hall
where they were to be unpacked.

In an incredibly short time the whole consignment
was delivered; and the men departed with a douceur for
each, given through their foreman, which made them
249

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

effusive in their thanks. Then we all went to our own
rooms. There was a strange confidence over us all. I
do not think that any one of us had a doubt as to the
quiet passing of the remainder of the night.

The faith was justified, for on our reassembling in the
morning we found that all had slept well and peaceably.

During that day all the curios, except those required
for the Great Experiment, were put into the places de-
signed for them. Then it was arranged that all the
servants should go back with Mrs. Grant to London on
the next morning.

When they had all gone Mr. Trelawny, having seen
the doors locked, took us into the study.

"Now," said he when we were seated, "I have a
secret to impart; but, according to an old promise
which does not leave me free, I must ask you each to
give me a solemn promise not to reveal it. For three
hundred years at least such a promise has been exacted
from every one to whom it was told, and more than once
life and safety were secured through loyal observance
of the promise. Even as it is, I am breaking the spirit,
if not the letter of the tradition ; for I should only tell
it to the immediate members of my family."

"We all gave the promise required. Then he went on:

"There is a secret place here, a cave, natural originally
but finished by labor, underneath the house. I will not
undertake to say that it has always been used accord-
ing to the law. During the Bloody Assize more than a
few Cornishmen found refuge in it ; and later, and earlier,
it formed, I have no doubt whatever, a useful place for
storing contraband goods. 'Tre Pol and Pen,' I sup-
pose you know, have always been smugglers ; and their
relations and friends and neighbors have not held back
250

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

from the enterprise. For all such reasons a safe hiding-
place was always considered a valuable possession ; and
as the heads of our House have always insisted on pre-
serving the secret, I am in honor bound to it. Later
on, if all be well, I shall of course tell you, Margaret,
and you too, Ross, under the conditions that I am
bound to make."

He rose up, and we all followed him. Leaving us in
the outer hall, he went away alone for a few minutes;
and returning, beckoned us to follow him.

In the inside hall we found a whole section of an
outstanding angle moved away, and from the cavity
saw a great hole dimly dark, and the beginning of a
rough staircase cut in the rock. As it was not pitch
dark there was manifestly some' means of lighting it
naturally, so without pause we followed our host as he
descended. After some forty or fifty steps cut in a
winding passage, we came to a great cave whose further
end tapered away into blackness. It was a huge place,
dimly lit by a few irregular long slits of eccentric shape.
Manifestly these were faults in the rock which would
easily allow the windows to be disguised from without.
Close to each of them was a hanging shutter which could
be swung across by means of a dangling rope. The
sound of the ceaseless beat of the waves came up
muffled from far below. Mr. Trelawny at once began
to speak:

"This is the spot which I have chosen, as the best I
know, for the scene of our Great Experiment. In a
hundred different ways it fulfils the conditions which I
am led to believe are primary with regard to success.
Here, we are, and shall be, as isolated as Queen Tera her-
self would have been in her rocky tomb in the Valley
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The Jewel o£ Seuen Stars

of the Sorcerer, and still in a rocky cavern. For good
or ill we must here stand by our chances, and abide by
results. If we are successful we shall be able to let in
on the world of modern science such a flood of light
from the Old "World as will change every condition of
thought and experiment and practice. If we fail, then
even the knowledge of our attempt will die with us.
For this, and all else which may come, I believe we are
prepared!" He paused. No one spoke, but we all
bowed our heads gravely in acquiescence. He resumed,
but with a certain hesitancy :

"It is not yet too late! If any of you have a doubt
or a misgiving, for God's sake, speak it now! Whoever
it may be, can go hence without let or hindrance. The
rest of us can go on our way alone!"

Again he paused, and looked keenly at us in turn.
We looked at each other; but no one quailed. For my
own part, if I had had any doubt as to going on, the
look on Margaret's face would have reassured me. It
was fearless; it was intense; it was full of a divine calm.

Mr. Trelawny took a long breath, and in a more
cheerful, as well as in a more decided tone, went on:

"As we are all of one mind, the sooner we get the
necessary matters in train the better. Let me tell you
that this place, like all the rest of the house, can be lit
with electricity. We could not join the wires to the
mains lest our secret should become known, but I have
a cable here which we can attach in the hall and com-
plete the circuit!" As he was speaking, be began to
ascend the steps. From close to the entrance he took
the end of a cable ; this he drew forward and attached to
a switch in the wall. Then, turning on a tap, he flooded
the whole vault and staircase below with light. I could
252

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

now see from the volume of light streaming up into the
hallway that the hole beside the staircase went direct
into the cave. Above it was a pulley and a mass of
strong tackle with multiplying blocks of the Smeaton
order. Mr. Trelawny, seeing me looking at this, said,
correctly interpreting my thoughts :

"Yes! it is new. I hung it myself there on purpose.
I knew we should have to lower great weights ; and as
I did not wish to take too many into my confidence, I
arranged a tackle which I could work alone if necessary."

We set to work at once; and before nightfall had
lowered, had unhooked, and placed in the positions des-
ignated for each by Trelawny, all the great sarcophagi
and all the curios and other matters which we had taken
with us.

It was a strange and weird proceeding the placing
of those wonderful monuments of a by-gone age in that
great cavern, which represented in its cutting and
purpose and up-to-date mechanism and electric lights
both the old world and the new. But as time went on I
grew more and more to recognise the wisdom and
correctness of Mr. Trelawny's choice. I was much
disturbed when Silvio, who had been brought into the
cave in the arms of his mistress, and who was lying
asleep on my coat which I had taken off, sprang up
when the cat mummy had been unpacked, and flew at
it with the same ferocity which he had previously ex-
hibited. The incident showed Margaret in a new phase,
and one which gave my heart a pang. She had been
standing quite still at one side of the cave leaning on
a sarcophagus, in one of those fits of abstraction which
had of late come upon her; but on hearing the sound,
and seeing Silvio's violent onslaught, she seemed to fall
253

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

into a positive fury of passion. Her eyes blazed, and
her mouth took a hard, cruel tension which was new
to me. Instinctively she stepped towards Silvio as if to
interfere in the attack. But I too had stepped forward ;
and as she caught my eye a strange spasm came upon
her, and she stopped. Its intensity made me hold my
breath; and I put up my hand to clear my eyes. When
I had done this, she had on the instant recovered her
calm, and there was a look of brief wonder on her face.
With all her old grace and sweetness she swept over
and lifted Silvio, just as she had done on former occa-
sions, and held him in her arms, petting him and treat-
ing him as though he were a little child who had
erred.

As I looked a strange fear came over me. The
Margaret that I knew seemed to be changing; and in
my inmost heart I prayed that the disturbing cause
might soon come to an end. More than ever I longed
at that moment that our terrible Experiment should
come to a prosperous termination.

When all had been arranged in the room as Mr.
Trelawny wished he turned to us, one after another,
till he had concentrated the intelligence of us all upon
him. Then he said:

"AH is now ready in this place. We must only await
the proper time to begin."

We were silent for a while. Doctor Winchester was
the first to speak:

"What is the proper time? Have you any ap-
proximation, even if you are not satisfied as to the
exact day?" He answered at once:

"After the most anxious thought I have fixed on
July 31!"

2 54

The Jewel of" Semen Stars

"May I ask why that date?" He spoke his answer
slowly :

"Queen Tera was ruled in great degree by mysticism
and there are so many evidences that she looked for
resurrection that naturally she would choose a period
ruled over by a God specialised to such a purpose.
Now, the fourth month of the season of Inundation was
ruled by Harmachis, this being the name for 'Ra' the
Sun-God, at his rising in the morning, and therefore
typifying the awakening or arising. This arising is
manifestly to physical life, since it is of the mid-world
of human daily life. Now as this month begins on our
25th July, the seventh day would be July 31st, for you
may be sure that the mystic Queen would not have
chosen any day but the seventh or some power of seven.

"I dare say that some of you have wondered why
our preparations have been so deliberately undertaken.
This is why! We must be ready in every possible way
when the time comes; but there was no use in having
to wait round for a needless number of days."

And so we waited only for the 31st of July, the next
day but one, when the Great Experiment would be
made.

Doubts and Fears

WE learn of great things by little experiences. The
history of ages is but an indefinite repetition of
the history of hours. The record of a soul is but a
multiple of the story of a moment. The Recording
Angel writes in the Great Book in no rainbow tints;
his pen is dipped in no colors but light and darkness.
For the eye of infinite wisdom there is no need of shading.
All things, all thoughts, all emotions, all experiences, all
doubts and hopes and fears, all intentions, all wishes
seen down to the lower strata of their concrete and
multitudinous elements, are finally Tesolved into direct
opposites.

Did any human being wish for the epitome of a
life wherein were gathered and grouped all the ex-
periences that a child of Adam could have, the history,
fully and frankly written, of my own mind during the
next forty-eight hours would afford him all that could
be wanted. And the Recorder could have wrought as
usual in sunlight and shadow, which may be taken to
represent the final expressions of Heaven and Hell.
For in the highest Heaven is Faith ; and Doubt hangs
over the yawning blackness of Hell.

There were of course times of sunshine in those two
days; moments when, in the realisation of Margaret's
sweetness and her love for me, all doubts dissipated like
256

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

morning mist before the sun. But the balance of the
time— and an overwhelming balance it was — gloom hung
over me like a pall'. The hour, in whose coming I had
acquiesced, was approaching so quickly and was already
so near that the sense of finality was bearing upon me!
The issue was perhaps life or death to any of us ; but for
this we were all prepared. Margaret and I were one as
to the risk. The question of the moral aspect of the
case, which involved the religious belief in which I had
been reared, was not one to trouble me; for the issues,
and the causes that lay behind them, were not within
my power even to comprehend. The doubt of the
success of the Great Experiment was such a doubt as
exists in all enterprises which have great possibilities.
To me, whose life was passed in a series of intellectual
struggles, this form of doubt was a stimulus, rather than
deterrent. What then was it that made for me a trouble,
which became an anguish when my thoughts dwelt long
on it?

I was beginning to doubt Margaret!

What it was that I doubted I knew not. It was not
her love, or her honor, or her truth, or her kindness, or
her zeal. What then was it?

It was herself!

Margaret was changing! At times during the past
few days I had hardly known her as the same girl whom
I had met at the picnic, and whose vigils I had shared
in the sick-room of her Father. Then, even in her
moments of greatest sorrow or fright or anxiety, she
was all life and thought and keenness. Now she was
generally distraite, and at times in a sort of negative
condition as though her mind — her very being — was
not present. At such moments she would have full
257

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

possession of observation and memory. She would
know and remember all that was going on, and had
gone on around her; but her coming back to her old
self had to me something the sensation of a new person
coming into the room. Up to the time of leaving
London I had been content whenever she was present.
I had over me that delicious sense of security which
comes with the consciousness that love is mutual. But
now doubt had taken its place. I never knew whether
the personality present was my Margaret — the old
Margaret whom I had loved at the first glance — or the
other new Margaret, whom I hardly understood, and
whose intellectual aloofness made an impalpable barrier
between us. Sometimes she would become, as it were,
awake all at once. At such times, though she would
say to me sweet and pleasant things which she had
often said before, she would seem most unlike herself.
It was almost as if she were speaking parrot-like or at
dictation of one who could read words or acts, but not
thoughts. After one or two experiences of this kind, my
own doubting began to make a barrier; for I could not
speak with the ease and freedom which were usual to me.
And so hour by hour we drifted further apart. Were
it not for the few odd moments when the old Margaret
was back with me full of her charm I do not know what
would have happened. As it was, each such moment
gave me a fresh start and kept my love from changing.
I would have given the world for a confidant; but,
such was impossible. How could I speak a doubt of
Margaret to any one, even her Father! How could I
speak a doubt to Margaret, when Margaret herself was
the theme! I could only endure— and hope. And of
the two the endurance was the lesser pain.
258

The Jetcel of Seoen Stars

I think that Margaret must have at times felt that
there was some cloud between us, for towards the end
of the first day she began to shun me a little ; or perhaps
it was that she had become more diffident than usual
about me. Hitherto she had sought every opportunity
of being with me, just as I tried to be with her; so that
now any avoidance, one of the other, made a new pain
to us both.

On this day the household seemed very still. Each
one of us was about his own work, or occupied with his
own thoughts. We only met at meal-times; and then,
though we talked, all seemed more or less preoccupied.
There was not in the house even the stir of the routine
of service. The precaution of Mr. Trelawny in having
three rooms prepared for each of. us had rendered ser-
vants unnecessary. The dining-room was solidly pre-
pared with cooked provisions for several days. Towards
evening I went out by myself for a stroll. I had looked
for Margaret to ask her to come with me; but when I
found her, she was in one of her apathetic moods, and
the charm of her presence seemed lost to me. Angry
with myself, but unable to quell my own spirit of dis-
content, I went out alone over the rocky headland.

On the cliff, with the wide expanse of wonderful sea
before me, and no sound but the dash of waves below
and the harsh screams of the sea-gulls above, my thoughts
ran free. Do what I would, they returned continuously
to one subject, the solving of the doubt that was upon
me. Here in the solitude, amid the wide circle of
Nature's force and strife, my mind began to work truly.
Unconsciously I found myself asking a question which
I would not allow myself to answer. At last the per-
sistence of a mind working truly prevailed; I found my-
259

The Jeroel of Serjen Stars

self face to face with ray doubt. The habit of my life
began to assert itself, and I analysed the evidence before
me.

It was so startling that I had to force myself into
obedience to logical effort. My starting-place was this:
Margaret was changed — in what way, and by what
means? Was it her character, or her mind, or her
nature? for her physical appearance remained the same.
I began to group all that I had ever heard of her, be-
ginning at her birth.

It was strange at the very first. She had been, ac-
cording to Corbeck's statement, born of a dead mother
during the time that her Father and his friend were in a
trance in the tomb at Aswan. That trance. was pre-
sumably effected by a woman; a woman mummied, yet
preserving as we had every reason to believe from after
experience, an astral body subject to. a free will and an
active intelligence. With that astral body, space ceased
to exist. The vast distance between London and Aswan
became as naught; and whatever power of necromancy
the Sorceress had might have been exercised over the
dead mother, and possibly the dead child.

The dead child! Was it possible that the child was
dead and was made alive again ? Whence then came
the animating spirit — the soul? Logic was pointing the
way to me now with a vengeance !

If the Egyptian belief was true for Egyptians, then
the "Ka" of the dead Queen and her "Kim" could
animate what she might choose. In such case Margaret
would not be an individual at all, but simply a phase of
Queen Tera herself; an astral body obedient to her will!

Here I revolted against logic. Every fibre of my being
resented such a conclusion. How could I believe that
260

The Jewel of Seuen Stars

there was no Margaret at all; but just an animated
image, used by the Double of a woman of forty centu-
ries ago to its own ends . . . ! Somehow, the outlook
was brighter to me now, despite the new doubts.

At least I had Margaret!

Back swung the logical pendulum again. The child
then was not dead. If so, had the Sorceress had any-
thing to do with her birth at all? It was evident — so
I took it again from Corbeck — that there was a strange
likeness between Margaret and the pictures of Queen
Tera. How could this be? It could not be any birth-
mark reproducing what had been in the mother's mind;
for Mrs. Trelawny had never seen the pictures. Nay,
even her Father had not seen them till he had found his
way into the tomb only a few days before her birth.
This phase I could not get rid of so easily as the last; the
fibres of my being remained quiet. There remained to
me the horror of doubt. And even then, so strange is
the mind of man, Doubt itself took a concrete image;
a vast and impenetrable gloom, through which flickered
irregularly and spasmodically tiny points of evanescent
light, which seemed to quicken the darkness into a posi-
tive existence.

The remaining possibility of relations between Margaret
and the mummied Queen was, that in some occult way
the Sorceress had power to change places with the other.
This view of things could not be so lightly thrown aside.
There were too many suspicious circumstances to warrant
this, now that my attention was fixed on it and my
intelligence recognised the possibility. Hereupon there
began to come into my mind all the strange incompre-
hensible matters which had whirled through our lives
in the last few days. At first they all crowded in upon
261

The Jetcel of Seuen Stars

me in a jumbled mass; but again the habit of mind of
my working life prevailed, and they took order. I found
it now easier to control myself; for there was something
to grasp, some work to be done; though it was of a sorry
kind, for it was or might be antagonistic to Margaret.
But Margaret was herself at stake! I was thinking of
her and fighting for her; and yet if I were to work in the
dark, I might be even harmful to her. My first weapon
in her defence was truth. I must know and understand;
I might then be able to act. Certainly, I could not act
beneficently without a just conception and recognition
of the facts. Arranged in order these were as follows:

Firstly : the strange likeness of Margaret to Tera, though
she had been born in another country a thousand miles
away, when her mother could not possibly have had
even a passing knowledge of the Queen's appearance.

Secondly: the disappearance of Van Huyn's book
when I had read up to the description of the Star Ruby.

Thirdly: the finding of the lamps in the boudoir.
Tera with her astral body could have unlocked the door
of Corbeck's room in the hotel, and have locked it again
after her exit with the lamps. She could in the same
way have opened the window, and put the lamps in the
boudoir. It need not have been that Margaret in her
own person should have had any hand in this ; but — but
it was at least strange.

Fourthly : here the suspicions of the Detective and the
Doctor came back to me with renewed force, and with a
larger understanding.

Fifthly: there were the occasions on which Margaret
foretold with accuracy the coming occasions of quietude,
as though she had some conviction or foreknowledge of
the intentions of the astral-bodied Queen.
262

The Jetcel of Seoen Stars

Sixthly: there was her suggestion of the finding of
the Ruby which her Father had lost. As I thought now
afresh over this episode in the light of suspicion in
which her own powers were involved, the only con-
clusion I could come to was — always supposing that the
theory of the Queen's astral power was correct — that
Queen Tera being anxious that all should go well in the
movement from London to Kyllion had in her own way
taken the Jewel from Mr. Trelawny's pocket-book, find-
ing it of some use in her supernatural guardianship of
the journey. Then in some mysterious way she had,
through Margaret, made the suggestion of its loss and
finding.

Seventhly, and lastly, was the strange dual existence
which Margaret seemed of late to be leading; and which
in some way seemed a consequence or corollary of all
that had gone before.

The dual existence! This was indeed the conclusion
which overcame all difficulties and reconciled opposites.
If indeed Margaret were not in all ways a free agent,
but could be compelled to speak or act as she might be
instructed; or if her whole "being could be changed for
another without the possibility of any one noticing the
doing of it, then all things were possible. All would
depend on the spirit of the individuality by which she
could be so compelled. If this individuality were just
and kind and clean, all might be well. But if not . . . !
The thought was .too awful for words. I ground my
teeth with futile rage as the ideas of horrible possibilities
swept through me.

Up to this morning Margaret's lapses into her new
self had been few and hardly noticeable, save when once
or twice her attitude towards myself had been marked
263

The Jewel of Secen Stars

by a bearing strange to me. But to-day the contrary
was the case; and the change presaged badly. It might
be that that other individuality was of the lower not of
the better sort! Now that I thought of it I had reason
to fear. In the history of the mummy, from the time of
Van Huyn's breaking into the tomb, the record of
deaths that we knew of, presumably effected by her will
and agency, was a startling one. The Arab who had
stolen the hand from the mummy ; and the one who had
taken it from his body. The Arab chief who had tried
to steal the Jewel from Van Huyn, and whose throat
bore the marks of seven fingers. The two men found
dead on the first night of Trelawny's taking away the
sarcophagus ; and the three on the return to the tomb.
The Arab who had opened the secret serdab. Nine
dead men, one of them slain manifestly by the Queen's
own hand! And beyond this again the several savage
attacks on Mr. Trelawny in his own room, in which, aided
by her Familiar, she had tried to open the safe and to
extract the Talisman jewel. His device of fastening the
key to his wrist by a steel bangle, though successful in
the end, had wellnigh cost him his life.

If then the Queen, intent on her resurrection under
her own conditions had, so to speak, waded to it through
blood, what might she not do were her purpose thwarted ?
What terrible step might she not take to effect her
wishes? Nay, what were her wishes; what was her
ultimate purpose? As yet we had had only Margaret's
statement of them, given in all the glorious enthusiasm
of her lofty soul. In her record there was no expression
of a love to be sought or found. All we knew for certain
was that she had set before her the object of resurrection,
and that in it the North which she had manifestly loved
264

The Jewel off Secen Stars

was to have a special part. But that the resurrection
was to be accomplished in the lonely tomb in the Valley
of the Sorcerer was apparent. All preparations had
been carefully made for accomplishment from within,
and for her ultimate exit in her new and living form.
The sarcophagus was unlidded. The oil jars, though
hermetically sealed, were to be easily opened by hand;
and in them provision was made for shrinkage through
a vast period of time. Even flint and steel were pro-
vided for the production of flame. The Mummy Pit
was left open in violation of usage ; and beside the stone
door on the cliff side was fixed an imperishable chain
by which she might in safety descend to earth. But
as to what her after intentions were we had no clue.
If it was that she meant to begin life again as a humble
individual, there was something so noble in the thought
that it even warmed my heart to her and turned my
wishes to her success.

The very idea seemed to indorse Margaret's magnifi-
cent tribute to her purpose, and helped to calm my
troubled spirit.

Then and there, with this feeling strong upon me, I
determined to warn Margaret and her Father of dire
possibilities; and to await, as well content as I could in
my ignorance, the development of things over which I
had no power.

I returned to the house in a different frame of mind to
that in which I ha.d left it; and was enchanted to find
Margaret — the old Margaret — waiting me.

After dinner, when I was alone for a time with the
father and daughter, I opened the subject, though with
considerable hesitation.

"Would it not be well to take every possible pre-
* 2f>5

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

caution, in case the Queen may not wish what we are
doing, with regard to what may occur before the Ex-
periment; and at or after her waking, if it comes off?"
Margaret's answer came back quickly; so quickly that
I was convinced she must have had it ready for some
one:

"But she does approve! Surely it cannot be other-
wise. Father is doing, with all his brains and all his
energy and all his great courage, just exactly what the
great Queen had arranged!"

"But," I answered, "that can hardly be. All that
she arranged was in a tomb high up in a rock, in a
desert solitude, shut away from the world by every
conceivable means. She seems to have depended on
this isolation to insure against accident. Surely, here
in another country and age, with quite different con-
ditions, she may in her anxiety make mistakes and treat
any of you — of us — as she did those others in times gone
past. Nine men that we know of have been slain by
her own hand or by her instigation. She can be re-
morseless if she will!" It did not strike me till after-
wards when I was thinking over this conversation, how
thoroughly I had accepted the living and conscious con-
dition of Queen Tera as a fact. Before I spoke, I had
feared I might offend Mr. Trelawny; but to my pleasant
surprise he smiled quite genially as he answered me:

"My dear fellow, in a way you are quite right. The
Queen did undoubtedly intend isolation; and, all told,
it would be best that her experiment should be made
as she arranged it. But just think, that became im-
possible when once the Dutch explorer had broken into
the tomb. That was not my doing. I am innocent of
it, though it was the cause of my setting out to re-
266

The Jetoel of Set>en Stars

discover the sepulchre. Mind, I do not say for a mo-
ment that I would not have done just the same as
Van Huyn. I went into the tomb from curiosity; and
I took away what I did, being fired with the zeal of
acquisitiveness which animates the collector. But, re-
member also, that at this time I did not know of the
Queen's intention of resurrection; I had no idea of the
completeness of her preparations. All that came long
afterwards. But when it did come, I have done all
that I could to carry out her wishes to the full. My
only fear is that I may have misinterpreted some of her
cryptic instructions, or have omitted or overlooked
something. But of this I am certain; I have left undone
nothing that I can imagine right to be done ; and I have
done nothing that I know of to clash with Queen Tera's
arrangement. I want her Great Experiment to succeed.
To this end I have not spared labor or time or money
— or myself. I have endured hardship, and braved
danger. All my brains; all my knowledge and learning,
such as they are; all my endeavors such as they can be,
have been, are, and shall be devoted to this end. Till
we either win or lose the great stake that we play for."

"The great stake?" I repeated; "the resurrection of
the woman, and the woman's life? The proof that
resurrection can be accomplished; by magical powers;
by scientific knowledge; or by use of some force which
at present the world does not know?"

Then Mr. Trelawny spoke out the hopes of his heart
which up to now he had indicated rather than expressed.
Once or twice I had heard Corbeck speak of the fiery
energy of his youth; but, save for the noble words of
Margaret when she had spoken of Queen Tera's hope —
which coming from his daughter made possible a belief
267

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

that her power was in some sense due to heredity — I
had seen no marked sign of it. But now his words,
sweeping before them like a torrent all antagonistic
thought, gave me a new idea of the man.

"'A woman's life!' What is a woman's life in the
scale with what we hope for! Why, we are risking
already a woman's life ; the dearest life to me in all the
world, and that grows more dear with every hour that
passes. We are risking as well the lives of four men;
yours and my own, as well as those two others who have
been won to our confidence. 'The proof that resurrec-
tion can be accomplished!' That is much. A mar-
vellous thing in this age of science, and the scepticism
that knowledge makes. But life and resurrection are
themselves but items in what may be won by the ac-
complishment of this Great Experiment. Imagine what
it will be for the world of thought — the true world of
human progress — the veritable road to the Stars, the
itur ad asira of the Ancients— if there can come back
to us out of the unknown past one who can yield to us
the lore stored in the great Library of Alexandria, and
lost in its consuming flames. Not only history can be
set right, and the teachings of science made veritable
from their beginnings; but we can be placed on the road
to the knowledge of lost arts, lost learning, lost sciences,
so that our feet may tread on the indicated path to their
ultimate and complete restoration. Why, this woman
can tell us what the world was like before what is called
' the Flood ' ; can give us the origin of that vast astound-
ing myth; can set the mind back to the consideration
of things which to us now seem primeval, but which
were old stories before the days of the Patriarchs. But
this is not the end! No, not even the beginning! If

The Jewel o£ Seoen Stars

the story of this woman be all that we think — whidb
some of us most firmly believe ; if her powers and the
restoration of them prove to be what we expect, why,
then we may yet achieve a knowledge beyond what
our age has ever known — beyond what is believed to-
day possible for the children of men. If indeed this
resurrection can be accomplished, how can we doubt
the old knowledge, the old magic, the old belief! And
if this be so, we must take it that the ' Ka ' of this great
and learned Queen has won secrets of more than mortal
worth from her surroundings amongst the stars. This
woman in her life voluntarily went down living to the
grave, and came back again, as we learn from the
records in her tomb; she chose to die her mortal death
whilst young, so that at her resurrection in another age,
beyond a trance of countless magnitude, she might
emerge from her tomb in alt the fulness and splendor of
her youth and power. Already we have evidence that
though her body slept in patience through those many
centuries, her intelligence never passed away, that her
resolution never flagged , that her will remained supreme ;
and, most important of all, that her memory was un-
impaired. Oh, what possibilities are there in the coming
of such a being into our midst ! One whose experience
began before the concrete teaching of our Bible ; whose
experiences were antecedent to the formulation of the
Gods of Greece ; who can link together the Old and the
New, Earth and Heaven, and yield to the known worlds
of thought and physical existence the mystery of the
Unknown — of the Old World in its youth, and of Worlds
beyond our ken!"

He paused almost overcome. Margaret had taken

his hand when he spoke of her being so dear to him, and

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The Jetoel of Serpen Stars

held it hard. As he spoke she continued to hold it.
But there came over her face that change which I had so
often seen of late; that mysterious veiling of her own
personality which gave me the subtle sense of separation
from her. In his impassioned vehemence her father did
not notice ; but when he stopped she seemed all at once
to be herself again. In her glorious eyes came the add-
ed brightness of unshed tears ; and with a gesture of
passionate love and admiration, she stooped and kissed
her father's hand. Then, turning to me, she too
spoke :

"Malcolm, you have spoken of the deaths that came
from the poor Queen; or rather that justly came from
meddling with her arrangements and thwarting her pur-
pose. Do you not think that, in putting it as you have
done, you have been unjust ? Who would not have
done just as she did? Remember she was fighting for
her life! Ay, and for more than her life! For life, and
love, and all the glorious possibilities of that dim future
in the unknown world of the North which had such
enchanting hopes for her! Do you not think that she,
with all the learning of her time, and with all the great
and resistless force of her mighty nature, had hopes of
spreading in a wider way the lofty aspirations of her
soul! That she hoped to bring to the conquering of
unknown worlds, and using to the advantage of her
people, all that she had won from sleep and death and
time ; all of which might and could have been frustrated
by the ruthless hand of an assassin or a thief. Were it
you, in such case would you not struggle by all means
to achieve the object of your life and hope ; whose possi-
bilities grew and grew in the passing of those endless
years. Can you think that that active brain was at rest
270

The Jewel ofl Seoen Stars

during all those weary centuries, whilst her mortal body,
swathed in all the protecting environment ordained by
the religion and the science of her time, waited the des-
tined hour ; whilst her free soul was flitting from world to
world amongst the boundless regions of the stars. Had
these stars in their myriad and varied life no lessons
for her ; as they have had for us since we followed the
glorious path which she and her people marked for us,
when they sent their winged imaginations circling
amongst the lamps of the night!"

Here she paused. She too was overcome, and the
welling tears ran down her cheeks. I was myself more
moved than I can say. This was indeed my Margaret;
and in the consciousness of her presence my heart leapt.
Out of my happiness came boldness, and I dared to say
now what I had feared would be impossible: something
which would call the attention of Mr. Trelawny to what
I imagined was the dual existence of his daughter. As
I took Margaret's hand in mine and kissed it, I said to
her father:

"Why, sir! she couldn't speak more eloquently if the
very spirit of Queen Tera was with her to animate her
and suggest thoughts!"

Mr. Trelawny's answer simply overwhelmed me with
surprise. It manifested to me that he too had gone
through just such a process of thought as my own.

"And what if it was; if it is! I know well that the
spirit of her mother is within her. If in addition there
be the spirit of that great and wondrous Queen, then
she would be no less dear to me, but doubly dear ! Do
not have fear for her, Malcolm Ross; at least have no
more fear than you may have for the rest of us!" Mar-
garet took up the theme, speaking so quickly that her
271

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

words seemed a continuation of her father's, rather than
an interruption of them.

" Have no special fear for me, Malcolm. Queen Tera
knows, and will offer us no harm. I know it! I know
it, as surely as I am lost in the depth of my own love
for you!"

There was something in her voice so strange to me
that I looked quickly into her eyes. They were bright
as ever, but veiled to my seeing the inward thought
behind them as are the eyes of a lion.

Then the two other men cMne in, and the subject
changed.

The Lesson of the "Ka"

rT",HAT night we all went to bed early. The next
1 night would be an anxious one, and Mr. Trelawny
thought that we should all be fortified with what sleep
we could get. The day, too, would be full of work.
Everything in connection with the Great Experiment
would have to be gone over, so that at the last we might
not fail from any unthought-of flaw in our working.
"We made, of course, arrangements for summoning aid
in case such should be needed ; but I do not think that
any of us had any real apprehension of danger. Cer-
tainly we had no fear of such danger from violence as
we had had to guard against in London during Mr.
Trelawny's long trance.

For my own part I felt a strange sense of relief in the
matter. I had accepted Mr. Trelawny's reasoning that
if the Queen were indeed such as we surmised — -such as
indeed we now took for granted — there would not be
any opposition on her part; for we were carrying out
her own wishes to the very last. So far I was at ease
— far more at ease than earlier in the day I should have
thought possible; but there were other sources of
trouble which I could not blot out from my mind. Chief
amongst them was Margaret's strange condition. If it
was indeed that she had in her own person a dual exist-
ence, what might happen when the two existences be-
273

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

came one? Again, and again, and again I turned this
matter over in my mind, till I could have shrieked out
in nervous anxiety. It was no consolation to me to
remember that Margaret was herself satisfied, and her
father acquiescent. Love is, after all, a selfish thing;
and it throws a black shadow on anything between
which and the light it stands. I seemed to hear the
hands go round the dial of the clock ; I saw darkness turn
to gloom, and gloom to grey, and grey to light without
pause or hindrance to the succession of my miserable
feelings. At last, when it was decently possible without
the fear of disturbing others, I got up. I crept along
the passage to find if all was well with the others; for
we had arranged that the door of each of our rooms
should be left slightly open so that any sound of dis-
turbance would be easily and distinctly heard.

One and all slept; I could hear the regular breathing of
each, and my heart rejoiced that this miserable night
of anxiety was safely passed. As I knelt in my own
room in a burst of thankful prayer, I knew in the depths
of my own heart the measure of my fear. I found my
way out of the house, and went down to the water by
the long stairway cut in the rock. A swim in the cool
bright sea braced my nerves and made me my own man
again.

As I came back to the top of the steps I could see the
bright sunlight, rising from behind me, turning the rocks
across the bay to glittering gold. And yet I felt some-
how disturbed. It was all too bright; as it sometimes
is before the coming of a storm. As I paused to watch
it, I felt a soft hand on my shoulder; and, turning, found
Margaret close to me; Margaret as bright and radiant
as the morning glory of the sun! It was my own
274

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

Margaret this time! My old Margaret, without alloy of
any other; and I felt that, at least, this last and fatal
day was well begun.

But alas! the joy did not last. When we got back
to the house from a stroll around the cliffs, the same
old routine of yesterday was resumed: gloom and
anxiety, hope, high spirits, deep depression, and
apathetic aloofness.

But it was to be a day of work, and we all braced
ourselves to it with an energy which wrought its own
salvation.

After breakfast we all adjourned to the cave, where
Mr. Trelawny went over, point by point, the position
of each item of our paraphernalia. He explained as he
went on why each piece was so placed. He had with
him the great rolls of paper with the measured plans
and the signs and drawings which he had had made from
his own and Corbeck's rough notes. As he had told us,
these contained the whole of the hieroglyphics on walls
and ceilings and floor of the tomb in the Valley of the
Sorcerer. Even had not the measurements, made to
scale, recorded the position of each piece of furniture, we
could have eventually placed them by a study of the
cryptic writings and symbols.

Mr. Trelawny explained to us certain other things,
not laid down on the chart. Such as, for instance, that
the hollowed part of the table was exactly fitted to the
bottom of the Magic Coffer, which was therefore in-
tended to be placed on it. The respective legs of this
table were indicated by differently shaped ura^i out-
lined on the floor, the head of each being extended in
the direction of the similar urasus twined round the
leg. Also that the mummy, when laid on the raised
275

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

portion in the bottom of the sarcophagus, seemingly
made to fit the form, would lie head to the West and
feet to the East, thus receiving the natural earth currents.
"If this be intended," he said, "as I presume it is, I
gather that the force to be used has something to do
with magnetism or electricity, or both. It may be, of
course, that some other force, such, for instance, as that
emanating from radium, is to be employed. I have
experimented with the latter, but only in such small
quantity as I could obtain; but so far as I can ascertain
the stone of the Coffer is absolutely impervious to its
influence. There must be some such unsusceptible sub-
stances in nature. Radium does not seemingly manifest
itself when distributed through pitchblende; and there
are doubtless other such substances in which it can
be imprisoned. Possibly these may belong to that
class of 'inert' elements discovered or isolated by Sir
"William Ramsay. It is therefore possible that in this
Coffer, made from an aerolite and therefore perhaps
containing some element unknown in our world, may
be contained some mighty power which is to be released
on its opening."

This appeared to be an end of this branch of the
subject; but as he still kept the fixed look of one who is
still engaged in a theme we all waited in silence. After
a pause he went on:

"There is one thing which has up to now, I confess,
puzzled me. It may not be of prime importance; but
in a matter like this, where all is unknown, we must
take it that everything is important. I cannot think
that in a matter worked out with such extraordinary
scrupulosity such a thing should be overlooked. As you
may see by the ground-plan of the tomb the sarcophagus
276

The Jecoel of Seuen Stars

stands near the north wall, with the Magic Coffer to
the south of it. The space covered by the former is left,
quite bare of symbol or ornamentation of any kind.
At the first glance this would seem to imply that the
drawings had been made after the sarcophagus had been
put into its place. But a more minute examination will
show that the symbolisation on the floor is so arranged
that a definite effect is produced. See, here the writings
run in correct order as though they had jumped across
the gap. It is only from certain effects that it becomes
clear that there is a meaning of some kind. "What that
meaning may be is what we want to know. Look at the
top and bottom of the vacant space, which lies West and
East corresponding to the head and foot of the sarcopha-
gus. In both are duplications of the same symbolisation,
but so arranged that the parts of each one of them are
integral portions of some other writing running cross-
wise. It is only when we get a coup d'mil from either
the head or the foot that you recognise that there are
symbolisations. See! they are in triplicate at the
corners and the centre of both top and bottom. In
every case there is a sun cut in half by the line of the
sarcophagus, as by the horizon. Close behind each of
these and faced away from it, as though itt some way
dependent on it, is the vase which in hieroglyphic writing
symbolises the heart — ' Ab ' the Egyptians called it.
Beyond each of these again is the figure of a pair of
widespread arms -turned upwards from the elbow; this
is the determinative of the 'Ka* or 'Double.' But its
relative position is different at top and bottom. At the
head of the sarcophagus the top of the 'Ka' is turned
towards the mouth of the vase, but at the foot the ex-
tended arms point away from it.
277

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

"The symbolisation seems to mean that during the
passing of the Sun from West to East — from sunset to
sunrise, or through the Under World, otherwise night
— the Heart, which is material even in the tomb and
cannot leave it, simply revolves, so that it can always
rest on ' Ra ' the Sun-God, the origin of all good; but
that the Double, which represents the active principle,
goes whither it will, the same by night as by day. If
this be correct it is a warning — a caution — a reminder
that the consciousness of the mummy does not rest but
is to be reckoned with.

" Or it may be intended to convey that after the par-
ticular night of the resurrection, the 'Ka' would leave
the heart altogether. Thus typifying that in her resur-
rection the Queen would be restored to a lower and
purely physical existence. In such case what would
become of her memory and the experiences of her wide-
wandering soul ? The chiefest value of her resurrection
would be lost to the world! This, however, does not
alarm me. It is only guess-work after all, and is con-
tradictory to the intellectual belief of the Egyptian
theology, that the ' Ka ' is an essential portion of human-
ity." He paused and we all waited. The silence was
broken by Doctor Winchester :

' ' But would not all this imply that the Queen feared
intrusion of her tomb?" Mr. Trelawny smiled as he
answered:

"My dear sir, she was prepared for it. The grave-
robber is no modem application of endeavor; he was
probably known in the Queen's own dynasty. Not
only was she prepared for intrusion, but, as shown in
several ways, she expected it. The hiding of the lamps
in the serdab, and the institution of the avenging ' treas-
278

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

urer' shows that there was defence, positive as well as
negative. Indeed, from the many indications afforded
in the clues laid out with the most consummate thought,
we may almost gather that she entertained it as a pos-
sibility that others — like ourselves, for instance — might
in all seriousness undertake the work which she had
made ready for her own hands when the time should
have come. This very matter that I have been speak-
ing of is an instance. The clue is intended for seeing
eyes!"

Again we were silent. It was Margaret who spoke:

"Father, may I have that chart? I should like to
study it during the day!"

"Certainly, my dear!" answered Mr. Trelawny hearti-
ly, as he handed it to her. He resumed his instructions
in a different tone, a more matter-of-fact one suitable
to a practical theme which had no mystery about it :

"I think you had better all understand the working of
the electric light in case any sudden contingency should
arise. I dare say you have noticed that we have a com-
plete supply in every part of the house, so that there
need not be a dark corner anywhere. This I had spe-
cially arranged. It is worked by a set of turbines
moved by the flowing and ebbing tide, after the manner
of the turbines at Niagara. I hope by this means to
nullify accident and to have without fail a full supply
ready at any time. Come with me and I will explain
the system of circuits, and point out to you the taps
and the fuses." I could not but notice, as we went with
him all over the house, how absolutely complete the
system was, and how he had guarded himself against
any disaster that human thought could foresee.

But out of the very completeness came a fear. In
279

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

sucli an enterprise as ours the bounds of human thought
were but narrow. Beyond it lay the vast of Divine wis-
dom, and Divine power!

When we came back to the cave, Mr. Trelawny took
up another theme :

"We have now to settle definitely the exact hour at
which the Great Experiment is to be made. So far as
science and mechanism go, if the preparations are com-
plete, all hours are the same. But as we have to deal
with preparations made by a woman of extraordinarily
subtle mind, and who had full belief in magic and had
a cryptic meaning in everything, we should place our-
selves in her position before deciding. It is now mani-
fest that the sunset has an important place in the ar-
rangements. As those suns, cut so mathematically by
the edge of the sarcophagus, were arranged of full de-
sign, we must take our cue from this. Again, we find
all along that the number seven has had an important
bearing on every phase of the Queen's thought and
reasoning and action. The logical result is that the
seventh hour after sunset was the time fixed on. This
is borne out by the fact that on each of the occasions
when action was taken in my house, this was the time
chosen. As the sun sets to-night in Cornwall at eight,
our hour is to be three in the morning! He spoke in a
matter-of-fact way, though with great gravity; but
there was nothing of mystery in his words or manner.
Still we were all impressed to a remarkable degree. I
could see this in the other, men by the pallor that came
on some of their faces, and by the stillness and unques-
tioning silence with which the decision was received.
The only one who remained in any way at ease was
Margaret, who had lapsed into one of her moods of ab-

The Jetuel of Seoen Stars

straction, but who seemed to wake up to a note of glad-
ness. Her Father, who was watching .her intently,
smiled; her mood was to him a direct confirmation of
his theory.

For myself I was almost overcome. The definite
fixing of the hour seemed like the voice of Doom. When
I think of it now, I can realise how a condemned man
feels at his sentence, or at the last sounding of the hour
he is to hear.

There could be no going back now ! We were in the
hands of God!

The hands of God . . . ! And yet ... ! What other
forces were arrayed? . . . What would become of us all,
poor atoms of earthly dust whirled in the wind which
cometh whence and goeth whither no man may know.
It was not for myself . . . I Margaret , . , !

I was recalled by Mr. Trelawny's firm voice:

" Now we shall see to the lamps and finish our prep-
arations." Accordingly we set to work, and under
his supervision made ready the Egyptian lamps, seeing
that they were well filled with the cedar oil, and that
the wicks were adjusted and in good order. We lighted
and tested them one by one, and left them ready so
that they would light at once and evenly. When this
was done we had a general look round ; and fixed all in
readiness for our work at night.

All this had taken time, and we were I think all
surprised when as. we emerged from the cave we heard
the great- clock in the hall chime four.

We had a late lunch, a thing possible without trouble
in the present state of our commissariat arrangements.
After it, by Mr. Trelawny's advice, we separated; each
to prepare in our own way for the strain of the coming

,n 281

The Jetocl of Seoen Stars

night. Margaret looked pale and somewhat over-
wrought, so I advised her to lie down and try to sleep.
She promised that she would. The abstraction which
had been upon her fitfully all day lifted for the time;
with all her old sweetness and loving delicacy she kissed
me good-bye for the present! With the sense of hap-
piness which this gave me I went out for a walk on the
cliffs. I did not want to think; and I had an instinctive
feeling that fresh air and God's sunlight, and the myriad
beauties of the works of His hand would be the best
preparation of fortitude for what was to come.

When I got back, all the party were assembling for a
late tea. Coming fresh from the exhilaration of nature,
it struck me as almost comic that we, who were nearing
the end of so strange — almost monstrous — an under-
taking, should be yet bound by the needs and habits
of our lives.

All the men of the party were grave; the time of
seclusion, even if it had given them rest, had also given
opportunity for thought. Margaret was bright, almost
buoyant ; but I missed about her something of her usual
spontaneity. Towards myself there was a shadowy air
of reserve, which brought back something of my
suspicion. When tea was over, she went out of the
room ; but returned in a minute with the roll of drawings
which she had taken with her earlier in the day. Coming
close to Mr. Trelawny, she said:

"Father, I have been carefully considering what you
said to-day about the hidden meaning of those suns and
hearts and 'Kas,' and I have been examining the
drawings again."

"And with what result, my child?" asked Mr. Tre-
lawny eagerly.

The Jewel o? Serpen Stars

"There is another reading possible!"

"And that?" His voice was now tremulous with
anxiety. Margaret spoke with a strange ring in her
voice; a ring that cannot be, unless there is the con-
sciousness of truth behind it:

"It means that at the sunset the ' Ka' is to enter the
' Ab ' ; and it is only at the sunrise that it will leave
it!"

"Go on!" said her Father hoarsely.

"It means that for this night the Queen's Double,
which is otherwise free, will remain in her heart, which
is mortal and cannot leave its prison-place in the
mummy shrouding. It means that when the sun has
dropped into the sea, Queen Tera will cease to exist
as a conscious power, till sunrise ; unless the Great Ex-
periment can recall her to waking life. It means that
there will be nothing whatever for you or others to fear
from her in such way as we have all cause to remember.
Whatever change may come from the working of the
Great Experiment, there can come none from the poor,
helpless, dead woman who has waited all those centuries
for this night ; who has given up to the coming hour all
the freedom of eternity, won in the old way, in hope of a
new life in a new world such as she longed for . . . !"
She stopped suddenly. As she had gone on speaking
there had come with her words a strange pathetic, al-
most pleading, tone which touched me to the quick.
As she stopped, I could see, before she turned away her
head, that her eyes were full of tears.

For once the heart of her Father did not respond to her
feeling. He looked exultant, but with a grim master-
fulness which reminded me of the set look of his stern
face as he had lain in the trance. He did not offer any
283

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

consolation to his daughter in her sympathetic pain.
He only said:

"We may test the accuracy of your surmise, and of
her feeling, when the time comes!" Having said so, he
went up the stone stairway and into his own room.
Margaret's face had a troubled look as she gazed after
him.

Strangely enough her trouble did not as usual touch
me to the quick.

When Mr. Trelawny had gone, silence reigned. I do
not think that any of us wanted to talk. Presently
Margaret went to her room, and I went out on the
terrace over the sea. The fresh air and the beauty of
all before me helped to restore the good spirits which
I had known earlier in the day. Presently I felt myself
actually rejoicing in the belief that the danger which
I had feared from the Queen's violence on the coming
night was obviated. I believed in Margaret's belief so
thoroughly that it did not occur to me to dispute her
reasoning. In a lofty frame of mind, and with less
anxiety than I had felt for days, I went to my room and
lay down on the sofa.

I was awaked by Corbeck calling to me, hurriedly:

"Come down to the cave as quickly as you can. Mr.
Trelawny wants to see us all there at once. Hurry!"

I jumped up and ran down to the cave. All were
there except Margaret, who came immediately after me
carrying Silvio in her arms. When the cat saw his old
enemy he struggled to get down; but Margaret held
him fast and soothed him. I looked at my watch. It
was close to eight.

When Margaret was with us her Father said directly,
with a quiet insistence which was new to me:
284

The Jeroel of Seuen Stars

"You believe, Margaret, that Queen Tera has volun-
tarily undertaken to give up her freedom for this night?
To become a mummy and nothing more, till the Ex-
periment has been completed? To be content that she
shall be powerless under all and any circumstances until
after all is over and the act of resurrection has been
accomplished, or the effort has failed?" After a pause
Margaret answered in a low voice:

"Yes!"

In the pause her whole being, appearance, expression,
voice, manner had changed. Even Silvio noticed it,
and with a violent effort wriggled away from her arms ;
she did not seem to notice the act. I expected that the
cat, when he had achieved his freedom, would have
attacked the mummy; but on this' occasion he did not.
He seemed too cowed to approach it. He shrunk away,
and with a piteous "miaou" came over and rubbed
himself against my ankles. I took him up in my arms,
and he nestled there shivering. Mr. Trelawny spoke
again:

" You are sure of what you say! You believe it with
all your soul?" Margaret's face had lost the abstracted
look; it now seemed illuminated with the devotion of
one to whom is given to speak of great things. She
answered in a voice which, though quiet, vibrated with
conviction :

"I know it! My knowledge is beyond belief!" Mr.
Trelawny spoke again:

"Then you are so sure, that were you Queen Tera her-
self, you would be willing to prove it in any way that I
might suggest?"

" Yes, any way!" the answer rang out fearlessly. He
spoke again, in a voice in which was no note of doubt:

285

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

" Even in the abandonment of your Familiar to death
— to annihilation?"

She paused, and I could see that she suffered — suffered
horribly. There was in her eyes a hunted look, which
no man can, unmoved, see in the eyes of his beloved.
I was about to interrupt, when her Father's eyes, glanc-
ing round with a fierce determination, met mine. I stood
silent, almost spellbound; so also the other men. Some-
thing was going on before us which we did not under-
stand !

With a few long strides Mr. Trelawny went to the
west side of the cave and tore back the shutter which
obscured the window, breaking, in the violence of his
action, the time-worn chain which controlled it. The
cool air blew in, and the sunlight streamed over them
both, for Margaret was now by his side. He pointed to
where the sun was sinking into the sea in a halo of golden
fire, and his face was as set as flint. In a voice whose
absolute uncompromising hardness I shall hear in my
ears at times till my dying day, he said:

"Choose! Speak! When the sun has dipped below
the sea, it will be too late!" The glory of the dying sun
seemed to light up Margaret's face, till it shone as if lit
from within by a noble light, as she answered:

"Even that!"

Then stepping over to where the mummy cat stood
on the little table, she placed her hand on it. She had
now left the sunlight, and the shadows looked dark and
deep over her. In a clear voice she said:

"Were I Tera, I would say 'Take all I have! This
night is for the Gods alone!' "

As she spoke the sun dipped, and the cold shadow
suddenly fell on us. We all stood still for a while.
286

The Jewel of SeDen Stars

Silvio jumped from my arms and ran over to his mistress,
rearing himself up against her dress as if asking to be
lifted. He took no notice whatever of the mummy
now.

Margaret was glorious with all her wonted sweetness
as she said sadly:

"The sun is down, Father! Shall any of us see it
again? The night of nights is come!"

The Great Experiment

IF any evidence had been, wanted of how absolutely
one and all of us had come to believe in the spiritual
existence of the Egyptian Queen, it would have been
found in the change which in a few minutes had been
effected in us by the statement of voluntary negation
made, we all believed, through Margaret. Despite the
coming of the fearful ordeal, the sense of which it was
impossible to forget, we looked and acted as though a
great relief had come to us. We had indeed lived in
such a state of terrorism during the days when Mr.
Trelawny was lying in a trance that the feeling had
bitten deeply into us. No one knows till he has ex-
perienced it, what it is to be in constant dread of some
unknown danger which may come at any time and in
any form.

The change was manifested in different ways, accord-
ing to each nature. Margaret was sad. Doctor Winches-
ter was in high spirits, and keenly observant; the proc-
ess of thought which had served as an antidote to fear,
being now relieved from this duty, added to his intellectu-
al enthusiasm. Mr. Corbeck seemed to be in a retro-
spective rather than a speculative mood. I was myself
rather inclined to be gay; the relief from certain anxiety
regarding Margaret was sufficient for me for the time.

As to Mr. Trelawny, he seemed less changed than

The Jewel o£ Seoen Stars

any. Perhaps this was only natural, as he had had in
his mind the intention for so many years of doing that
in which we were to-night engaged, that any event con-
nected with it could only seem to him as an episode,
a step to the end. His was that commanding nature
which looks so to the end of an undertaking that all
else is of secondary importance. Even now, though
his terrible sternness relaxed under the relief from the
strain, he never flagged nor faltered for a moment in
his purpose. He asked us men to come with him; and
going to the hall we presently managed to lower into
the cave an oak table, fairly long and not too wide,
which stood against the wall in the hall. This we
placed under the strong cluster of electric lights in the
middle of the cave. Margaret looked on for a while;
then all at once her face blanched, and in an agitated
voice she said:

"What are you going to do, Father?"

"To unroll the mummy of the cat! Queen Tera will
not need her Familiar to-night. If she should want him,
it might be dangerous to us ; so we shall make him safe.
You are not alarmed, dear?"

"Oh no!" she answered quickly. "But I was think-
ing of my Silvio, and how I should feel if he had been
the mummy that was to be unswathed!"

Mr. Trelawny got knives and scissors ready, and placed
the cat on the table. It was a grim beginning to our
work; and it made my heart sink when I thought of
what might happen in that lonely house in the mid-
gloom of the night. The sense of loneliness and isolation
from the world was increased by the moaning of the
wind which had now risen ominously and by the beat-
ing of waves on the rocks below. But we had too grave
289

The Jewel of Seuen Stars

a task before us to be swayed by external manifestations :
the unrolling of the mummy began.

There was an incredible number of bandages; and
the tearing sound — they being stuck fast to each other
by bitumen and gums and spices — and the little cloud
of red pungent dust that arose, pressed on the senses
of all of us. As the last wrappings came away, we saw
the animal seated before us. He was all hunkered up;
his hair and teeth and claws were complete. The eyes
were closed, but the eyelids had not the fierce look
which I expected. The whiskers had been pressed
down on the side of the face by the bandaging; but
when the pressure was taken away they stood out, just
as they would have done in life. He was a magnificent
creature, a tiger-cat of great size. But as we looked at
him, our first glance of admiration changed to one of
fear, and a shudder ran through each one of us; for here
was a confirmation of the fears which we had endured.

His mouth and his claws were smeared with the dry,
red stains of recent blood!

Doctor Winchester was the first to recover ; blood in
itself had small disturbing quality for him. He had taken
out his magnifying-glass and was examining the stains
on the cat's mouth. Mr. Trelawny breathed loudly, as
though a strain had been taken from him.

"It is as T expected," he said. "This promises well
for what is to follow."

By this time Doctor Winchester was looking at the
red stained paws. "As I expected!" he said. " He has
seven claws, too!" Opening his pocket-book, he took out
the piece of blotting-paper marked by Silvio's claws,
on which was also marked in pencil a diagram of the
cuts made on Mr. Trelawny's wrist. He placed the
290

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

paper under the mummy cat's paw. The marks fitted
exactly.

When we had carefully examined the cat, finding,
however, nothing strange about it but its wonderful
preservation, Mr. Trelawny lifted it from the table.
Margaret started forward, crying out:

"Take care, Father! Take care! He may injure
you!"

"Not now, my dear!" he answered as he moved tow-
ards the stairway. Her face fell. "Where are you
going?" she asked in a faint voice.

"To the kitchen," he answered. "Fire will take away
all danger for the future; even an astral body cannot
materialise from ashes!" He signed to us to follow him.
Margaret turned away with a sob. I went to her; but
she motioned me back and whispered:

"No, no! Go with the others. Father may want
you. Oh! it seems like murder! The poor Queen's
pet. . . . !" The tears were dropping from under the
fingers that covered her eyes.

In the kitchen was a fire of wood ready laid. To this
Mr. Trelawny applied a match; in a few seconds the
kindling had caught and the flames leaped. When the
fire was solidly ablaze, he threw the body of the cat into
it. For a few seconds it lay a dark mass amidst the
flames, and the room was rank with the smell of burning
hair. Then the dry body caught fire too. The in-
flammable substances used in embalming became new
fuel, and the flames roared. A few minutes of fierce
conflagration; and then we breathed freely. Queen
Tera's Familiar was no more!

When we went back to the cave we found Margaret
sitting in the dark. She had switched off the electric

The jewel of Seoen Stars

light, and only a faint glow of the evening light came
through the narrow openings. Her Father went quickly
over to her and put his arms round her in a loving
protective way. She laid her head on his shoulder for a
minute, and seemed comforted. Presently she called to
me:

"Malcolm, turn up the light!" I carried out her
orders, and could see that, though she had been crying,
her eyes were now dry. Her Father saw it too and
looked glad. He said to us in a grave tone:

"Now we had better prepare for our great work. It
will not do to leave anything to the last!" Margaret
must have had a suspicion of what was coming, for it
was with a sinking voice that she asked:

"What are you going to do now?" Mr. Trelawny
too must have had a suspicion of her feelings, for he
answered in a low tone:

"To unroll the mummy of Queen Tera!" She came
close to him and said pleadingly in a whisper:

"Father, you are not going to unswathe her! All you
men . . . ! And in the glare of light!"

" But why not, my dear?"

"Just think, Father, a woman! All alone! In such
a way! In such a place! Oh! it's cruel, cruel!" She
was manifestly much overcome. Her cheeks were
flaming red, and her eyes were full of indignant tears.
Her Father saw her distress; and, sympathising with it,
began to comfort her. I was moving off; but he signed
to me to stay. I took it that after the usual manner of
men he wanted help on such an occasion, and manlike
wished to throw on some one else the task of dealing
with a woman in indignant distress. However, he
began to appeal first to her reason.

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" Not a woman, dear; a mummy! She has been dead
nearly five thousand years!"

"What does that matter? Sex is not a matter of
years! A woman is a woman, if she had been dead
five thousand centuries! And you expect her to arise
out of that long sleep! It could not be real death, if
she is to rise out of it ! You have led me to believe that
she will come alive when the Coffer is opened!"

"I did, my dear; and I believe it! But if it isn't
death that has been the matter with her all these years,
it is something uncommonly like it. Then again, just
think; it was men who embalmed her. They didn't
have women's rights or lady doctors in ancient Egypt,
my dear! And besides," he went on more freely, seeing
that she was accepting his argument, if not yielding to
it, "we men are accustomed to such things. Corbeck
and I have unrolled a hundred mummies; and there
were as many women as men amongst them. Doctor
Winchester has had to deal with women as well as men,
till custom has made him think "nothing of sex. Even
Ross has in his work as a barrister . . ." He stopped
suddenly.

"You were going to help, too!" she said to me, with
an indignant look.

I said nothing; I thought silence was best. Mr.
Trelawny went on hurriedly; I could see that he was
glad of interruption, for the part of his argument con-
cerning a barrister's work was becoming decidedly
weak.

"My child, you will be with us yourself. Would we

do anything which would hurt or offend you? Come

now! be reasonable! We are not at a pleasure party.

We are all grave men, entering gravely on an experiment

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The Jewel of Secen Stars

which may unfold the wisdom of old times, and enlarge
human knowledge indefinitely; which may put the
minds of men on new tracks of thought and research.
An experiment," as he went on his voice deepened,
"which may be fraught with death to any one of us —
to us all! We know from what has been, that there
are, or may be, vast and unknown dangers ahead of us,
of which none in the house to-day may ever see the end.
Take it, my child, that we are not acting lightly; but
with all the gravity of deeply earnest men! Besides,
my dear, whatever feelings you or any of us may have
on the subject, it is necessary for the success of the
experiment to unswathe her. I think that under any
circumstances it would be necessary to remove the
wrappings before she became again a live human being
instead of a spiritualised corpse with an astral body.
Were her original intention carried out, and did she
come to new life within her mummy wrappings, it
might be to exchange a coffin for a grave! She would
die the death of the buried alive! But now, when she
has voluntarily abandoned for the time her astral
power, there can be no doubt on the subject."

Margaret's face cleared. "All right, Father!" she said
as she kissed him. "But oh! it seems a horrible in-
dignity to a Queen, and a woman."

I was moving away to the staircase when she called
to me:

"Where are you going?" I came back and took her
hand and stroked it as I answered:

" I shall come back when the unrolling is over!" She
looked at me long, and a faint suggestion of a smile came
over her face as she said:

"Perhaps you had better stay, too! It may be use-

The Jetoel oi? Seoen Stars

ful to you in your work as a barrister!" She smiled
out as she met my eyes: but in an instant she changed.
Her face grew grave, and deadly white. In a far-away
voice she said :

"Father is right! It is a terrible occasion; we need
all to be serious over it. But all the same — nay, for
that very reason you had better stay, Malcolm! You
may be glad, later on, that you were present to-night!"

My heart sank down, down, at her words; but I
thought it better to say nothing. Pear was stalking
openly enough amongst us already !

By this time Mr. Trelawny, assisted by Mr. Corbeck and
Doctor Winchester, had raised the lid of the ironstone
sarcophagus which contained the mummy of the Queen.
It was a large one ; but it was none too big. The mum-
my was both long and broad and high ; and was of such
weight that it was no easy task, even for the four of us
to lift it out. Under Mr. Trelawny's direction we laid
it out on the table prepared for it.

Then, and then only, did the full horror of the whole
thing burst upon me! There, in the full glare of the
light, the whole material and sordid side of death
seemed staringly real. The outer wrappings, torn and
loosened by rude touch, and with the color either dark-
ened by dust or worn light by friction, seemed creased
as by rough treatment; the jagged edges of the wrap-
ping-cloths looked fringed; the painting was patchy,
and the varnish chipped. The coverings were evidently
many, for the bulk was great. But through all, showed
that unhidable human figure, which seems to look more
horrible when partially concealed than at any other
time. What was before us was Death, and nothing
else. All the romance and sentiment of fancy had dis-
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appeared. The two elder men, enthusiasts who had
often done such work, were not disconcerted; and Doctor
Winchester seemed to hold himself in a business-like
attitude, as if before the operating-table. But I felt
low-spirited, and miserable, and ashamed; and besides
I was pained and alarmed by Margaret's ghastly pallor.
Then the work began. The unrolling of the mummy
cat had prepared me somewhat for it; but this was so
much larger, and so infinitely more elaborate, that it
seemed a different thing. Moreover, in addition to the
ever-present sense of death and humanity, there was a
feeling of something finer in all this. The cat had been
embalmed with coarser materials; here, all, when once
the outer coverings were removed, was more delicately
done. It seemed as if only the finest gums and spices
had been used in this embalming. But there were the
same surroundings, the same attendant red dust and
pungent presence of bitumen ; there was the same sound
of rending which marked the tearing away of the band-
ages. There were an enormous number of these, and
their bulk when opened was great. As the men unrolled
them, I grew more and more excited. I did not take
a part in it myself; Margaret had looked at me gratefully
as I drew back. We clasped hands, and held each other
hard. As the unrolling went on, the wrappings became
finer, and the smell less laden with bitumen, but more
pungent. We all, I think, began to feel it as though it
caught or touched us in some special way. This, how-
ever, did not interfere with the work; it went on unin-
terruptedly. Some of the inner wrappings bore sym-
bols or pictures. These were done sometimes wholly in
pale green color, sometimes in many colors; but always
with a prevalence of green. Now and again Mr. Tre-
296

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

lawny or Mr. Corbeck would point out some special
drawing before laying the bandage on the pile behind
them, which kept growing to a monstrous height.

At last we knew that the wrappings were coming to
an end. Already the proportions were reduced to those
of a normal figure of the manifest height of the Queen,
who was more than average tall. And as the end drew
nearer, so Margaret's pallor grew; and her heart beat
more and more wildly, till her breast heaved in a way
that frightened me.

Just as her Father was taking away the last of the
bandages, he happened to look up and caught the
pained and anxious look of her pale face. He paused,
and taking her concern to be as to the outrage on mod-
esty, said in a comforting way:

"Do not be uneasy, dear! See! there is nothing to
harm you. The Queen has on a robe. — Ay, and a royal
robe, too!"

The wrapping was a wide piece the whole length of
the body. It being removed, a profusely full robe of
white linen appeared, covering the body from the throat
to the feet.

And such linen! We all bent over to look at it.

Margaret lost her concern, in her woman's interest in
fine stuff. Then the rest of us looked with admiration ;
foT surely such linen was never seen by the eyes of our
age. It was as fine as the finest silk. But never was
spun or woven silk which lay in such gracious folds,
constrict though they were by the close wrappings of
the mummy cloth, and fixed into hardness by the pass-
ing of thousands of years.

Round the neck it was delicately embroidered in pure
gold with tiny sprays of sycamore; and round the feet,
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The Jewel o£ Seoen Stars

similarly worked, was an endless line of lotus plants of
unequal height, and with all the graceful abandon of
natural growth.

Across the body, but manifestly not surrounding it,
was a girdle of jewels. A wondrous girdle, which shone
and glowed with all the forms and phases and colors of
the sky!

The buckle was a great yellow stone, round of out-
line, deep and curved, as if a yielding globe had been
pressed down. It shone and glowed, as though a
veritable sun lay within; the rays of its light seemed
to strike put and illumine all round. Flanking it were
two great moonstones of lesser size, whose glowing,
beside the glory of the sunstone, was like the silvery
sheen of moonlight.

And then on either side, linked by golden clasps of
exquisite shape, was a row of flaming jewels, of which
the colors seemed to glow. Each of these stones seemed
to hold a living star, which twinkled in every phase of
changing light.

Margaret raised her hands in ecstasy. She bent over
to examine more closely; but suddenly drew back and
stood fully erect at her grand height. She seemed to
speak with the conviction of absolute knowledge as she
said:

"That is no cerement! It was not meant for the
clothing of death! It is a marriage robe!"

Mr. Trelawny leaned over and touched the linen robe.
He lifted a fold at the neck, and I knew from the quick
intake of his breath that something had surprised him.
He lifted yet a little more; and then he, too, stood back
and pointed, saying:

"Margaret is right! That dress is not intended to be

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

worn by the dead! See! her figure is not robed in it.
It is but laid upon her." He lifted the zone of jewels
and handed it to Margaret. Then with both hands he
raised the ample robe, and laid it across the arms which
she extended in a natural impulse. Things of such
beauty were too precious to be handled with any but
the greatest care.

We all stood awed at the beauty of the figure which,
save for the face cloth, now lay completely nude before
us. Mr. Trelawny bent over, and with hands that
trembled slightly, raised this linen cloth which was of
the same fineness as the robe. As he stood back and
the whole glorious beauty of the Queen was revealed, I
felt a rush of shame sweep over me. It was not right
that we should be there, gazing with irreverent eyes on
such unclad beauty; it was indecent; it was almost
sacrilegious! And yet the white wonder of that beauti-
ful form was something to dream of. It was not like
death at all ; it was like a statue carven in ivory by the
hand of a Praxiteles. There was nothing of that
horrible shrinkage which death seems to effect in a
moment. There was none of the wrinkled toughness
which seems to be a leading characteristic of most
mummies. There was not the shrunken attenuation of
a body dried in the sand, as I had seen before in museums.
All the pores of the body seemed to have been pre-
served in some wonderful way. The flesh was full and
round, as in a living person; and the skin was as smooth
as satin. The color seemed extraordinary. It was like
ivory, new ivory, except where the right arm, with
shattered, blood-stained wrist and missing hand had
lain bare to exposure in the sarcophagus for so many
tens of centuries.

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The Jewel off Seoen Stars

With a womanly impulse ; with a mouth that drooped
with pity, with eyes that flashed with anger, and cheeks
that flamed, Margaret threw over the body the beautiful
robe which lay across her arm. Only the face was then
to be seen. This was more startling even than the
body, for it seemed not dead, but alive. The eyelids
were closed; but the long, black, curling lashes lay over
on the cheeks. The nostrils, set in grave pride, seemed
to have the repose which, when it is seen in life, is
greater than the repose of death. The full, red lips,
though the mouth was not open, showed the tiniest
white line of pearly teeth within. Her hair, glorious in
quantity and glossy black as the raven's wing, was
piled in great masses over the white forehead, on which
a few curling tresses strayed like tendrils. I was
amazed at the likeness to Margaret, though I had had
my mind prepared for such by Mr. Corbeck's quotation
of her Father's statement. This woman — I could not
think of her as a mummy or a corpse — was the image of
Margaret as my eyes had first Kt on her. The likeness was
increased by the jewelled ornament which she wore in her
hair, the "Disk and Plumes," such as Margaret, too, had
worn. It, too, was a glorious jewel; one noble pearl of
moonlight lustre, flanked by carven pieces of moonstone.

Mr. Trelawny. was overcome as he looked. He quite
broke down; and when Margaret flew to him and held
him close in her arms and comforted him, I heard him
murmur brokenly :

" It looks as if you were dead, my child!"

There was a long silence. I could hear without the
roar of the wind, which was now risen to a tempest,
and the furious dashing of the waves far below. Mr.
Trelawny 's voice broke the spell;

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

"Later on we must try and find out the process of
embalming. It is not like any that I know. There
does not seem to have been any opening cut for the
withdrawing of the viscera and organs, which apparently
remain intact within the body. Then, again, there is
no moisture in the flesh; but its place is supplied with
something else, as though wax or stearin had been
conveyed into the veins by some subtle process. I
wonder could it be possible that at that time they could
have used paraffin. It might have been, by some
process that we know not, pumped into the veins, where
it hardened!"

Margaret, having thrown a white sheet over the
Queen's body, asked us to bring it to her own room,
where we laid it on her bed. Then she sent us away,
saying:

"Leave her alone with me. There are still many
hours to pass, and I do not like to leave her lying there,
all stark in the glare of light. This may be the Bridal
she prepared for — the Bridal of Death; and at least she
shall wear her pretty robes."

"When presently she brought me back to her room,
the dead Queen was dressed in the robe of fine linen
with the embroidery of gold; and all her beautiful
jewels were in place. Candles were lit around her, and
white flowers lay upon her breast.

Hand in hand we stood looking at her for a while.
Then with a sigh, Margaret covered her with one of her
own snowy sheets. She turned away; and after softly
closing the door of the room, went back with me to the
others who had now come into the dining-room. Here
we all began to talk over the things that had been, and
that were to be.

The Jetoel of Secen Stars

Now and again I could feel that one or other of us
was forcing conversation, as if we were not sure of our-
selves. The long wait was beginning to tell on our
nerves. It was apparent to me that Mr. Trelawny had
suffered in that strange trance more than we suspected,
or than he cared to show. True, his will and his deter-
mination were as strong as ever; but the purely physi-
cal side of him had been weakened somewhat. It was
indeed only natural that it should be. No man can
go through a period of four days of absolute negation
of life, without being weakened by it somehow.

As the hours crept by, the time passed more and more
slowly. The other men seemed to get unconsciously
a little drowsy. I wondered if in the case of Mr. Tre-
lawny and Mr. Corbeck, who had already been under
the hypnotic influence of the Queen, the same dormancy
was manifesting itself. Doctor Winchester had periods
of distraction which grew longer and more frequent as
the time wore on.

As to Margaret, the suspense told on her exceedingly,
as might have been expected in the case of a woman.
She grew paler and paler still; till at last about mid-
night, I began to be seriously alarmed about her. I got
her to come into the library with me, and tried to make
her lie down on a sofa for a little while. As Mr. Tre-
lawny had decided that the experiment was to be made
exactly at the seventh hour after sunset, it would be as
nearly as possible three o'clock in the morning when the
great trial should be made. Even allowing a whole hour
for the final preparations, we had still two hours of wait-
ing to go through. I promised faithfully to watch her,
and to awake her at any time she might name; but she
would not hear of resting. She thanked me sweetly,
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The Jewel o£ Seuen Stars

and smiled as she did so. But she assured me that she
was not sleepy, and that she was quite able to bear up;
that it was only the suspense and excitement of waiting
that made her pale. I agreed perforce, but I kept her
talking of many things in the library for more than an
hour; so that at last, when she insisted on going back
to her Father, I felt that I had at least done something
to help her pass the time.

We found the three men sitting patiently in the din-
ing-room in silence. With man's fortitude they were
content to be still, when they felt they had done all in
their power.

And so we waited.

The striking of two o'clock seemed to freshen us all
up. Whatever shadows had been settling over us during
the long hours preceding seemed to lift at once, and we
all went about our separate duties alert and with alacrity.
We looked first to the windows to see that they were
closed ; for now the storm raged so fiercely that we feared
it might upset our plans which, after all, were based on
perfect stillness. Then we got ready our respirators to
put them on when the time should be close at hand.
We had from the first arranged to use them, for we did
not know whether some noxious fume might not come
from the Magic Coffer when it should be opened. Some-
how it never seemed to occur to any of us that there
was any doubt as to its opening.

Then, under Margaret's guidance, we carried the body
of Queen Tera, still clad in her Bridal robes, from her
room into the cavern.

It was a strange sight, and a strange experience. The
group of grave silent men carrying away from the
lighted candles and the white flowers the white still
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The Jewel of Seoen Stars

figure, which looked like an ivory statue when through
our moving the robe fell back.

We laid her in the sarcophagus, and placed the severed
hand in its true position on her breast. Under it was
laid the Jewel of Seven Stars, which Mr. Trelawny had
taken from the safe. It seemed to flash and blaze as
he put it in its place. The glare of the electric lights
shone cold on the great sarcophagus fixed ready for the
final experiment — the Great Experiment, consequent on
the researches during a lifetime of these two travelled
scholars. Again, the startling likeness between Margaret
and the mummy, intensified by her own extraordinary
pallor, heightened the strangeness of it all.

When all was finally fixed, three-quarters of an hour
had gone ; for we were deliberate in all our doings. Mar-
garet beckoned me, and I went with her to her room.
There she did a thing which moved me strangely, and
brought home to me keenly the desperate nature of the
enterprise on which we were embarked. One by one,
she blew out the candles carefully, and placed them
back in their usual places. When she had finished she
said to me:

"They are done with! Whatever comes — Life or
Death — there will be no purpose in their using now!"

We returned to the cavern with a strange thrill as of
finality. There was to be no going back now!

We put on our respirators, and took our places as had
been arranged. I was to stand by the taps of the
electric lights, ready to turn them off or on as Mr.
Trelawny should direct. His last caution to me to carry
out his instructions exactly was almost like a menace;
for he warned me that death to any or all of us might
come from any error or neglect on my part. Margaret
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The Jetuel o£ Seuen Stars

and Doctor Winchester were to stand between the sar-
cophagus and the wall, so that they would not be be-
tween the mummy and the Magic Coffer. They were
to note accurately all that should happen with regard
to the Queen.

Mr. Trelawny and Mr. Corbeck were to see the lamps
lighted : and then to take their places, the former at the
foot, the latter at the head, of the sarcophagus.

When the hands of the clock were close to the hour,
they stood ready with their lit tapers, like gunners in
old days with their linstocks.

For the few minutes that followed, the passing of the
time was a slow horror. Mr. Trelawny stood with his
watch in his hand, ready to give the signal.

The time approached with inconceivable slowness ; but
at last came the whirring of wheels which warns that
the hour is at hand. The striking of the silver bell of
the clock seemed to smite on our hearts like the knell
of doom. One! Two! Three!

The wicks of the lamps caught, and I turned out the
electric light. In the dimness of the struggling lamps,
and after the bright glow of the electric light, the room
and all within it took weird shape , and everything
seemed in an instant to change. We waited, with our
hearts beating. I know mine did ; and I fancied I could
hear the pulsation of the others. Without, the storm
raged; the shutters of the narrow windows shook and
strained and rattled, as though something was striving
for entrance.

The seconds seemed to pass with leaden wings; it

was as though all the world were standing still. The

figures of the others stood out dimly, Margaret's white

dress alone showing clearly in the gloom. The thick

3°5

The Jetuel of* Seuen Stars

respirators, which we all wore, added to the strange
appearance. The eyes of the two men who bent over
the Coffer seemed to glare in the light. Across the
room Doctor Winchester's eyes twinkled like stars, and
Margaret's blazed like black suns.

Would the lamps never burn up !

It was only a few seconds in all till they did blaze up.
A slow, steady light, growing more and more bright; and
changing in color from blue to crystal white. So they
stayed for a couple of minutes, without any change
in the Coffer being noticeable. At last there began to
appear all over it a delicate glow. This grew and grew,
till it became like a blazing jewel; and then like a
living thing, whose essence was light. Mr. Trelawny and
Mr. Corbeck moved silently to their places beside the
sarcophagus.

We waited and waited, our hearts seeming to stand
still.

All at once there was a sound like a tiny muffled
explosion, and the cover of the Coffer lifted right up on
a level plane a few inches ; there was no mistaking any-
thing now, for the whole cavern was full of light. Then
the cover, staying fast at one side, rose slowly up on the
other, as though yielding to some pressure of balance.
I could not see what was within, for the risen cover stood
between. The Coffer still continued to glow; from it
began to steal a faint greenish vapor which floated in
the direction of the sarcophagus as though impelled or
drawn towards it. I could not smell it fully on account
of the respirator ; but, even through that, I was conscious
of a strange, pungent odor. The vapor got somewhat
denser after a few seconds, and began to pass directly
into the open sarcophagus. It was evident now that
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The Jewel of! Set>en Stars

the mummied body had some attraction for it ; and also
that it had some effect on the body, for the sarcophagus
slowly became illumined as though the body had begun
to glow. I could not see within from where I stood, but
I gathered from the faces of all the four watchers that
something strange was happening.

I longed to run over and take a look for myself; but
I remembered Mr. Trelawny's solemn warning, and re-
mained at my post.

The storm still thundered round the house, and I
could feel the rock on which it was built tremble under
the furious onslaught of the waves. The shutters
strained as though the screaming wind without would
in very anger have forced an entrance. In that dread
hour of expectancy, when the farces of Life and Death
were struggling for the mastery, imagination was awake.
I almost fancied that the storm was a living thing, and
animated with the wrath of the quick!

All at once the eager faces round the sarcophagus
were bent forward. The look of speechless wonder in
the eyes, lit by that supernatural glow from within the
sarcophagus, had a more than mortal brilliance.

My own eyes were nearly blinded by the awful,
paralysing light, so that I could hardly trust them.
I saw something white rising up from the open sarcopha-
gus. Something which appeared to my tortured eyes
to be filmy, like a white mist. In the heart of this mist,
which was cloudy and opaque like an opal, was some-
thing like a hand holding a fiery jewel flaming with many
lights. As the fierce glow of the Coffer met this new
living light, the green vapor floating between them
seemed like a cascade of brilliant points — a miracle of
light!

307

The Jewel of- Seven Stars

But at that very moment there came a change. The
fierce storm, battling with the shutters of the narrow
openings, won victory. With the sound of a pistol-shot,
one of the heavy shutters broke its fastening and was
hurled on its hinges back against the wall. In rushed
a fierce blast which blew the flames of the lamps to and
fro, and drifted the green vapor from its course.

On the very instant came a change in the outcome
from the Coffer. There was a moment's quick flame
and a muffled explosion; and black smoke began to
pour out. This got thicker and thicker with frightful
rapidity, in volumes of ever-increasing density; till the
whole cavern began to get obscure, and its outlines
were lost. The screaming wind tore in and whirled
it about. At a sign from Mr. Trelawny Mr. Corbeck
went and closed the shutter and jammed it fast with
a wedge.

I should have liked to help; but I had to wait direc-
tions from Mr. Trelawny, who inflexibly held his post at
the head of the sarcophagus. I signed to him with my
hand, but he motioned me back. Gradually the figures
of all close to the sarcophagus became indistinct in the
smoke which rolled round them in thick billowy clouds.
Finally, I lost sight of them altogether. I had a terrible
desire to rush over so as to be near Margaret; but again
I restrained myself. If the Stygian gloom continued,
light would be a necessity of safety; and I was the
guardian of the light! My anguish of anxiety as I
stood to my post was almost unendurable.

The Coffer was now but a dull color; and the lamps
were growing dim, as though they were being over-
powered by the thick smoke. Absolute darkness would
soon be upon us.

308

The Jewel of Seoen Stars

I waited and waited, expecting every instant to hear
the command to turn up the light; but none came.
I waited still, and looked with harrowing intensity
at the rolling billows of smoke still pouring out of the
casket whose glow was fading. The lamps sank down,
and went out; one by one.

Finally, there was but one lamp alight, and that was
dimly blue and flickering. I kept my eyes fixed towards
Margaret, in the hope that I might see her in some lifting
of the gloom; it was for her now that all my anxiety
was claimed. I could just see her white frock beyond
the dim outline of the sarcophagus.

Deeper and denser grew the black mist, and its pun-
gency began to assail my nostrils as well as my eyes.
Now the volume of smoke coming from the Coffer seemed
to lessen, and the smoke itself to be less dense. Across
the room I saw a movement of something white where
the sarcophagus was. There were several such move-
ments. I could just catch the quick glint of white
through the dense smoke in the fading light; for now
even the last lamp began to flicker with the quick leaps
before extinction.

Then the last glow disappeared. I felt that the time
had come to speak ; so I pulled off my respirator and
called out:

"Shall I turn on the light?" There was no answer.
Before the thick smoke choked me, I called again, but
more loudly:

"Mr. Trelawny, shall I turn on the light? Answer
me! If you do not forbid me, I shall turn it on!"

As there was no reply, I turned the tap. To my
horror there was no response ; something had gone wrong
with the electric light! I moved, intending to run up
3°9

The Jetuel of Seoen Stars

the staircase to seek the cause, but I could now see
nothing, all was pitch dark.

I groped my way across the room to where I thought
Margaret was. As I went I stumbled across a body.
I could feel by her dress that it was a woman. My heart
sank; Margaret was unconscious, or perhaps dead. I
lifted the body in my arms, and went straight forward
till I touched a wall. Following it round I came to the
stairway, and hurried up the steps with what haste I
could make, hampered as I was with my dear burden.
It may have been that hope lightened my task; but as
I went the weight that I bore seemed to grow less as I
ascended from the cavern.

I laid the body in the hall, and groped my way to
Margaret's room, where I knew there were matches, and
the candles which she had placed beside the Queen. I
struck a match; and oh! it was good to see the light. I
lit two candles, and taking one in each hand, hurried
back to the hall where I had left, as I had supposed,
Margaret.

Her body was not there. But on the spot where I had
laid her was Queen Tera's Bridal robe, and surrounding
it the girdle of wondrous gems. Where the heart had
been, lay the Jewel of Seven Stars.

Sick at heart, and with a terror which has no name,
I went down into the cavern. My two candles were like
mere points of light in the black, impenetrable smoke.
I put up again to my mouth the respirator which hung
round my neck, and went to look for my companions.

I found them all where they had stood. They had

sunk down on the floor, and were gazing upward with

fixed eyes of unspeakable terror. Margaret had put her

hands before her face, but the glassy stare of her eyes

310

The Jetoel of Seoen Stars

through her fingers was more terrible than an open
glare.

I pulled back the shutters of all the windows to let in
what air I could. The storm was dying away as quickly
as it had risen, and now it only came in desultory puffs.
It might well be quiescent ; its work was done !

I did what I could for my companions ; but there was
nothing that could avail. There, in that lonely house,
far away from aid of man, naught could avail.

It was merciful that I was spared the pain of hoping.

THE END